Why Victoria may not need to follow Queensland’s lead in delaying start of school year

Victoria and NSW may not need to follow Queensland’s lead and delay the start of the school year due to COVID-19, says a prominent epidemiologist.

But he says it’s “not an easy decision” to make.

The Queensland government has already announced it will push the start of school back two weeks while Omicron cases surge in the state.

Professor Tony Blakely, Professorial Fellow In Epidemiology at Melbourne University, said it was a different situation in the sunshine state.

“I would expect that by the time school goes back in NSW and Victoria, the Omicron numbers will have come down quite dramatically and will be getting lower and lower and there probably wouldn’t be the need to keep kids out of school in those two states,” he said on 3AW Drive.

He said the health impact on children also needed to be factored into the decision.

Press PLAY below to hear him share his thoughts

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