Press Release: New Conservative
New Conservative joins the many experts in their fields and is calling for the Government to immediately implement Covid-19 Alert 4.
On Sunday alone, Auckland had 4 schools linked to Covid-19. Today, a call to Government to go to Alert 4 and close all schools and daycares immediately was made by The Teaching Council. New Conservative is deeply concerned about the holistic wellbeing of children, who will obviously be scared of any potential threat to their health, and their family’s health.
Nationwide and especially online there are scenes everywhere of people panic buying, regardless of the Government’s insipid messages for calm and kindness. Children are like sponges who take so much in, and witnessing the fear and panic around them will damage their mental health. In addition, what child can concentrate and learn when there is chaos all around them, and now with added concerns over their safety at school?
We keep hearing about keeping our vulnerable as safe as possible, such as our elderly and those with underlying health conditions. Our children are vulnerable too, and this is a global crisis. Having children attempt to function outside of home, while surrounded by other scared children and teachers, is not a healthy option.
Over 14% (1 in 7) children in New Zealand suffer from asthma, which puts them at additional risk regarding Covid-19 health implications. Undoubtedly there will also be teachers who have asthma. Stress alone can be a trigger for asthma, and there is a lot of stress, both justified and unjustified, being seen currently. New Conservative has been contacted by multiple parents who are worried about their asthmatic children still being expected to attend school if they are feeling well. Additional stress for parents, which would be relieved with the implementation of Alert 4.
New Conservative warned the government to take the coronavirus threat seriously all the way back in January. New Conservative believes we need to act now. We, as a nation, would recover so much quicker if we were to do everything we can now. Functioning as a country at Alert 4 for a short amount of time, is a preferred option to waiting until things get worse, and then having to spend a lot longer in Alert 4.
New Conservative encourages parents to be the best role models they can in this troubling time, and to take the lead in trying to avoid succumbing to fear and anxiety. Children will remember how their family felt, how they dealt with it, and how they reacted throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. How parents react to this particular situation will greatly affect how a child will learn to deal with stressful situations.
Our children need life to return to normality as soon as possible, for their own mental health and wellbeing. The same applies to families and all New Zealanders. We must protect our children and reduce any chance of long-lasting psychological effects.
Now.
If you enjoyed this BFD article please consider sharing it with your friends.