Aussie Parents Worry Their Kids Will Be 'Traumatised' By Twice Weekly RAT Tests For School

New South Wales has revealed kids will be heading back to the classroom despite the threat of the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

After careful consideration, the state government believes it's time for youngsters to be physically inside their schools in order for them to learn.

However, when first term begins for 2022, students will have to do two rapid antigen tests (RATs) a week.

Around six million RAT kits will be delivered to 3,000 public, Catholic and independent schools across the state and parents will have to organise a pick up time.

Mum or dad will have to immediately alert the school if their child has tested positive for coronavirus as they bunker down for isolation.

But some parents are concerned that their kids will be 'traumatised' from having to do a rapid test twice a week.

According to News Corp, mum called Nicole wrote on the NSW Health Facebook page: "There is no way I am routinely testing my kids. Are you trying to traumatise them? This will cause mental health issues."

Another parent added: "It's traumatic for my autistic kids every time. No preparations for kids with disability. It's outrageous."

One guardian was smart to call out how the government will ensure kids are sticking to the rules: "How can you prove the kids do the test? I am seeing people say they aren't testing their kids. How will we know if they did the test on themself and not their kids?"

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said they are relying on the honour system to ensure schools are a safe place to be as we navigate out of the coronavirus pandemic.

She admits that it's not a full-proof system, however they're insistent about getting kids back into physical classrooms.

"I'm confident with the planning and the work we've done," the minister said. "There will be some bumps. We'll have students who will be out. It won't be a normal year.

"The alternative is we keep schools closed and nobody wants that."

Kids over Year 3 are being encouraged to wear face masks when they're at school to try and limit the spread of coronavirus.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said: "We are incredibly confident that while there will be disruption, as we move through this period of time and as we know through this wave of the latest outbreak of Covid, there will be challenges that come our way.

"We need to make sure that we have kids back in the classroom in a safe way, and I think the work that has occurred right here in our state with the Department of Education, it has been a significant effort."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia