COVID-19 live updates: Melbourne CBD hotel is center of new cluster as city emerges from lockdown
Dr Fiona Russell, who is a pediatrician and director of the Doctorate Program in Child and Adolescent Health in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Melbourne, says’ this is a completely new thing for us to refer. our children at school and teachers return to school when there is active community transmission. “
“But almost every country similar to Australia has done it, and there have been a lot of successes really.
“Overall, comprehensive measures are in place which include vaccination and improved ventilation and other measures safe for COVID.
“But, as we have heard, there are still a lot of cases that will happen in school.
“We expect there to be an increase in cases and epidemics as well.
“And so that really highlights how important it is to optimize the testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine system right now using rapid antigen testing.
“So what we really hope is that instead of an entire school being closed and having so much disruption and learning, that rapid antigenic tests are used and implemented in schools, according to which if a child or someone is in close contact with the case, then they are tested daily using these rapid antigen tests, and they are only sent home if they are positive or s ‘they show symptoms.
“So I know they are being examined. I know the TGA approved them since November 1. But I hope they can be deployed quickly, otherwise it will be an extremely disturbing end of the year for the children and their families. “