Keeping schools open during COVID-19 pandemic - pros and cons

There are conflicting opinions in in Australia about whether students should continue to attend schools or do "schooling from home" until the risk of infection from COVID-19 is judged to be acceptable.

In Victoria, Australia, Premier Daniel Andrews has specified that schools remain open for parents that need them (e.g. emergency service workers). For others "if you can learn from home, you must learn from home".

Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to say that children should be attending schools.

Advantages of children attending schools:

• less disruption to education
• reduced impact on parents working from home
• emergency services workers and other parents can continue to work rather than stay at home to look after their children. 

Disadvantages of children attending schools:

• infection risk for students
• COVID19 infection asymptomatic in many children
• infection risk for teachers, admin staff and cleaners
• community infection spread via children & staff
• no routine testing is being done (e.g. temperature testing)
• some schools have been closed (re-actively) when teacher(s) have tested positive.
• in a NSW childcare centre 7 daycare workers, 6 kids, and another 13 parents or close family members have been infected.

The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza specifies both proactive and reactive school closures.  In Australia, states are responsible for education. 

Schools are open in Victoria for parents that need them #COVID19 so its difficult to understand why Scott Morrison is calling for "schools to stay open"

In a video on social media, Scott Morrison says "the education of our children hangs in the balance" as he urges teachers to help keep schools open. pic.twitter.com/eQ2nKV9hmc

— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) April 14, 2020

See also

• COVID-19 and novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 information and links
• Herd immunity through the school gate? - Martin Hirst