Why schools have returned to remote learning in Victoria

Several schools in Victoria have been forced to return to remote learning due to Covid-induced staffing shortages. The dreaded backflip comes as tens of thousands of Covid cases are recorded each day across the country just before the arrival of the flu season. Victoria’s Deputy Premier James Merlino confirmed a private school in regional Shepparton was among the first to temporarily revert to remote learning. “There is one year level at one school where the students are learning from home for a short period of time as that school deals with some staffing pressures,” he said. “We’ve got schools open, they continue to remain open throughout term 1 and term 2. Yes, there are staffing challenges, of course there are. “We’ve committed to opening schools and keeping them open and that’s exactly what we’ve delivered as that is of highest benefit to our kids.” Another school, Francis Xavier College at Berwick in Melbourne’s southeast, was also forced to implement remote learning from Friday until at least Tuesday. Principal Vincent Feeney informed parents of the measure in a letter, blaming both Covid and “seasonal staff illness” for the move. “The Berwick campus will regrettably be moving into a short period of remote learning due to the impact of staff illness and absence,” he wrote. “The College still believes it is best for students to learn on site and will continue to work on a timely return.” Health authorities are urging parents to book young children in for flu shots as Queensland braces for a triple surge of influenza, Covid and the common cold. In just one week, cases have skyrocketed by 130 per cent from 1848 to 4282, while infection rates among children pile up as influenza and Covid team up to create a dual infection dubbed “flurona”. More than 180 residents in Queensland have been co-infected with the viruses since January, with 450 people admitted to hospital in April. More than 30 people have been placed in intensive care. Almost half of Queenslanders aged between 10 and 29 have been recorded carrying both viruses at once. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Queensland chair Bruce Willett told NCA NewsWire that the flu could kill kids. “We can’t be complacent and think that just because coronavirus has not been hard on kids that the dual infection won’t come with serious health problems,” he said. “Flurona is the unknown, but what we do know is that the flu vaccine is not free for children over five and that can be a deterrent to getting a protection jab.” The community’s low immunity is the result of closed international borders and the country’s low influenza vaccination rate, with many young children having next to no immunity against the virus. Earlier this month, just 3 per cent of children under five had been vaccinated against the flu. Data reveals that teenagers and people in their 20s are the driving forces behind increasing numbers. Unlike Covid vaccines, chief health officer John Gerrard has not made flu shots mandatory for people who work or visit aged care facilities. On Wednesday, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she would follow the chief health officers direction on the issue. Ms D’Ath said she is “concerned” about the state’s earlier than expected flu season and plans to write to the Commonwealth to ask for free flu vaccines. “We are probably going to be experiencing our worst flu season that we have seen in almost a decade and it‘s coming at us quickly,” she said. Queensland Health‘s acting chief operating officer David Rosengren said the state was experiencing “the dominant strain of influenza” commonly known as influenza A. “Influenza A is a serious illness. It has serious impacts on our young and on our older and more frail people, particularly those with chronic disease.” “I saw a 19-year-old gent in the emergency department last Thursday night with influenza A who described never having felt so bad in his entire life. “If you don‘t want to feel so bad in your entire life, then my challenge is to go out and get your flu vaccine. We know it works.” Australians aged 65 and above, First Nations people, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions are eligible for a free vaccine.