Australian PM urges schools to re-open so parents can go back to work

[snoop1130]

Australian PM urges schools to re-open so parents can go back to work

By Colin Packham, Melanie Burton

 

FILE PHOTO: People walk on the stairs in front of the Sydney Opera House following the implementation of stricter social-distancing and self-isolation rules to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sydney, Australia, April 6, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

 

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday urged schools to reopen after Easter holidays so students did not lose a year of education and parents could work, as health authorities reiterated that schools were safe for children.

 

And as the government confirmed it wanted to introduce a mobile phone app that would help trace contacts of people who caught the coronavirus, a man was jailed for one month for repeatedly leaving hotel quarantine to visit his girlfriend.

 

Australia’s rate of new COVID-19 infections has held at levels much lower than other countries for weeks, as the country has implemented strict social distancing rules that have closed businesses and confined people to their homes.

 

While insisting the tough restrictions would be maintained for some time, Morrison urged teachers to return to classrooms across the country to join “great heroes” like medical staff and supermarket workers and keep the economy ticking over.

 

“If you’ve got a job in this economy, they’re essential jobs. I don’t care what the job is,” Morrison told 6PR radio.

 

“(Parents) need to keep going to work for the sake of the economy and their families. We need the schools to be able to support that.”

 

The International Monetary Fund expects Australia’s economy to contract 6.7% this year, and analysts have forecast the unemployment rate to hit double figures in coming months as the country slides towards its first recession in three decades.

 

To support the economy, the government has announced a A$320 billion ($205 billion) package, including $130 billion to help businesses keep staff.

 

Australia has reported around 6,400 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, with the rate of daily increases in the low single digits for weeks although there have been a handful of new clusters over the past week.

 

The death toll rose to 63 on Wednesday after a woman in her 60s died.

 

EDUCATION STAND-OFF

 

Education is run by Australia’s state and territory governments, and they have switched to online teaching. Most states have school holidays this week though Victorian state students have returned to online learning.

 

Looking to convince sceptical state leaders, health officials will present a proposal to lower the risk at schools to the national cabinet meeting on Thursday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said.

 

“It’s the view of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee that schools are safe places because of the low rates of transmission,” he said, noting that only 136 of Australia’s coronavirus infections were in people aged 5 to 18 years and there had not been large infection clusters in schools.

 

The Health Protection Principal Committee is comprised of the chief medical officer of each state and territory, and advises Australia’s national cabinet.

 

TRACKING APPMorrison has said Australia will need to expand coronavirus testing and increase the speed of contract tracing to limit any fresh outbreak.

 

The government hopes to roll-out within weeks a new app that would allow authorities see who users had been in close contact with, and to alert them if anyone nearby had contracted coronavirus.

 

The app would be optional, and Morrison said at least 40% of people would need to download it if it was to be useful.

 

The development of the app comes as Australia enforces its strict quarantine. Interstate travel is heavily restricted, and visitors have to spend 14 days in quarantine upon arrival.

 

On Wednesday, a man in Western Australia state became the first person to be jailed for failing to comply with the quarantine order, local media reported.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-15

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[4MyEgo]

I think you will find that the economies around the world will need to come first as they throw the young into take the full brunt of it, i.e. until we get to the herd immunity level, that's my take on it anyway.

 

Business as usual.

Edited April 15, 2020 by 4MyEgo

[yuyiinthesky]

Good!

[madmen]

Wooohoo good news, Australia is well positioned to go back to work, very low infection and death rate

[yuyiinthesky]

14 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

as they throw the young into take the full brunt of it

As you might have read it is the old which are at risk, not the young.

There had been many proposals by virologists to open the schools, and to isolate and protect the elderly, the ones at risk. I would not have expected it from this guy, but nevertheless, good that somebody finally listens.

[Lacessit]

While it's true the elderly are more vulnerable, young people are dying as well.

I'm just enjoying the irony of a budget surplus-obsessed right-wing government bringing in one of the most socialist packages in Australian history.

[4MyEgo]

13 hours ago, yuyiinthesky said:

As you might have read it is the old which are at risk, not the young.

There had been many proposals by virologists to open the schools, and to isolate and protect the elderly, the ones at risk. I would not have expected it from this guy, but nevertheless, good that somebody finally listens.

Yes when I said the young to take the full of it, it meant they would get it and move forward, albeit there might be some who get very ill/die, but those figures would be very low, while building the herd immunity has always been a requirement for as long as we have evolved.

 

The elderly and ones with weak immune systems, pre existing conditions just have to take extra care, and keep semi-isolated, even though we know staying cooped up in ones pad does get boring, e.g. never thought I missed being out until the other day when I went for a drive with the Mrs, freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee at last, even just for that hours drive.

[Jai Dee]

A number of off-topic and argumentative troll posts and replies have been removed,

[Odysseus123]

Morrison's position seems quite reasonable to me..but it will be difficult to throw the machine into reverse so quickly.

 

Moreover it will be a scary month or so for the kids /teenagers, teachers and support staff after such an intensive campaign to self isolate and maintain social distancing.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Odysseus123

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, rhyddid said:

Another clown sending his people to die,

Yet another big bag of internet methane..

 

The country needs to return to some kind of normalcy and Morrison's suggestion (it is up to the States) is as good as any...the "lockdown" will need to be eased at some time or another.

 

I am very sure that the various local,state and the Federal gov't are listening closely to their advisers.

 

 

Edited April 16, 2020 by Odysseus123

[pegman]

This guy seems intent to send lots of people " down under " into their graves. 

[Jai Dee]

More off-topic and argumentative troll posts and replies have been removed.

 

Should this continue, the protagonists will be subject to a posting suspension.

[Lacessit]

15 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yet another big bag of internet methane..

 

The country needs to return to some kind of normalcy and Morrison's suggestion (it is up to the States) is as good as any...the "lockdown" will need to be eased at some time or another.

 

I am very sure that the various local,state and the Federal gov't are listening closely to their advisers.

 

 

I want someone to explain to me how social distancing will be implemented in a preschool or first grade classroom environment. IMO it would be easier to herd cats.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Lacessit

[Odysseus123]

52 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I want someone to explain to me how social distancing will be implemented in a preschool or first grade classroom environment. IMO it would be easier to herd cats.

I agree!