Students and teachers may be forced to undergo random Covid-19 tests even if they’re not showing symptoms under a new union proposal for the 2023 school year.

The Australian Education Union has accused the Anthony Albanese government of showing a ‘lack of concern’ for the health and wellbeing of students as another Covid wave runs rampant across the nation.

The peak education body also expressed growing fears about the high risk of ‘long Covid’ in schools due repeat infections and the scrapping of isolation rules.

But infectious disease experts have rubbished the parliamentary proposal outlining mandatory testing would be unsustainably costly and that rapid antigen tests can be unreliable, particularly in asymptomatic cases with no symptoms.

Students and teachers may be forced to undergo random Covid-19 tests even if they're not showing symptoms under a new union proposal for the 2023 school year. Pictured, masked-up NSW primary schools return to school in 2021 after months in lockdown

Students and teachers may be forced to undergo random Covid-19 tests even if they're not showing symptoms under a new union proposal for the 2023 school year. Pictured, masked-up NSW primary schools return to school in 2021 after months in lockdown

Students and teachers may be forced to undergo random Covid-19 tests even if they’re not showing symptoms under a new union proposal for the 2023 school year. Pictured, masked-up NSW primary schools return to school in 2021 after months in lockdown

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Schools across the nation had a long list of strict Covid rules when term one began at the start of 2022, including the wearing of masks, RAT testing and isolating at home for at least seven days if infected.

Most restrictions are long gone and while cases are strongly recommended to isolate for a minimum five days, they no longer need to after stay-at-home restrictions were scrapped in October.

In a recent submission to the federal government, the AEC advocated for ‘regular asymptomatic testing of all students and school staff’ and for RATs to be again supplied to schools and parents.

‘It is highly likely that repeated exposure to Covid at school will lead to increased long-term harm through cumulative effects of repeated infections and through an increase in the prevalence of long Covid among students,’ the union’s submission states.

‘Current Government approaches to limiting Covid infection, repeat infection and long Covid demonstrates a lack of concern for the health and wellbeing of students, teachers and broader school communities.’ 

A report by Queensland Health last month concluded that long Covid is ‘considerably over-estimated’ due to the dominance of Omicron strains which are less severe than previous mutations.

The Australian Education Union has accused the Anthony Albanese government of showing a 'lack of concern' for the health and wellbeing of students as another Covid wave runs rampant across the nation

The Australian Education Union has accused the Anthony Albanese government of showing a 'lack of concern' for the health and wellbeing of students as another Covid wave runs rampant across the nation

The Australian Education Union has accused the Anthony Albanese government of showing a ‘lack of concern’ for the health and wellbeing of students as another Covid wave runs rampant across the nation 

Dr Paul Griffin believes RATs in schools will be too expensive and provide false reassurance

Dr Paul Griffin believes RATs in schools will be too expensive and provide false reassurance

Dr Paul Griffin believes RATs in schools will be too expensive and provide false reassurance

But Queensland infectious diseases expert Paul Griffin argues RATs in schools won’t address the issue, will be too costly and provide false reassurance.

He says schools should instead focus on better ventilation, ensuring vaccinations are up to date, social distancing where possible and facilitating testing of those with symptoms.

‘That is far more effective than a screening strategy using a test that doesn’t fulfil that role particularly well,’ Dr Griffin told The Courier Mail.

Epidemiologist Professor Adrian Esterman personally believed the AEU proposal was a great idea but added it won’t get the green light from the government.

The Australian Education Union has expressed concerns about the high risk of 'long Covid' in schools due repeat infections (pictured, NSW high school students)

The Australian Education Union has expressed concerns about the high risk of 'long Covid' in schools due repeat infections (pictured, NSW high school students)

The Australian Education Union has expressed concerns about the high risk of ‘long Covid’ in schools due repeat infections (pictured, NSW high school students)

‘The thing about kids is that it’s not a huge deal if they get Covid but the trouble is they can transmit it to their parents, grandparents, so if you can do it to dampen it down in schools it’s a good thing,’ he said.

‘The more cases we have and this includes children the more long Covid we have.

Queensland recorded 16,600 new cases and 33 deaths in the week December 8-15 while Victoria reported 24,652 new infections and the loss of 84 lives.

In NSW, cases continue to rise with 40,695 new infections and 74 deaths recorded in the last week.

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