MacGregor family faces additional back-to-school challenges

Ms Banks, who is immunocompromised and classified as disabled due to chronic illness, has more reasons than most for back-to-school anxiety.

While her kids, Tim, 7, and Liz, 10, had various degrees of success with remote learning, the risk of COVID-19 infection upon returning to school was too high for the family.

This comes after the ACT government announced plans to supply RATs for teachers and students from preschool to year 12 to test themselves twice per week for the first four weeks of school.

However, the testing scheme will not be compulsory and adequate supplies are not expected to arrive in time for the first day of term.

The return to school is expected to uncover a spike in asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, but ACT authorities are confident the Omicron peak has passed.

But with more than 200,000 tests a week set to be distributed to all school staff and students over the coming month, the unprecedented monitoring of the virus is set to drive a surge in asymptomatic cases.

Staff and volunteers from the ACT's Emergency Services Agency have begun the colossal task of delivering one million rapid antigen test kits to Canberra schools over the next month. More than 250,000 tests a week would need to be delivered over the next four to six weeks.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said it would still be several weeks before rapid antigen test supply exceeds demand, based on advice from retailers.

While the measures are set to be a herculean effort, they provide little comfort for vulnerable families across the capital.

Ms Banks said there was a "high chance of long COVID, a higher chance of serious illness, and a higher chance of death" for people with her condition.

"The five to 11-year-old group is still quite vulnerable and under fives are incredibly vulnerable. It just doesn't seem like a good idea to go back to school," Ms Banks said.

"I would rather deal with having the kids at home than risk their safety. There's a lot of anxiety, even for kids, it's very difficult for the kids to hear that there is an element of danger, and then we go and send them back to school.

"If my kids got sick, it would be terrifying for us and for them."

As of Friday, first jab COVID vaccination rates in children aged five to 11 were at 63.3 per cent.

Ms Banks said many parents across Canberra were "desperately trying to get vaccinations for their kids" but had been turned away at the last minute, and told to reschedule.

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Remote learning is especially difficult for the Banks' family, Felicity's chronic illness means facilitating schoolwork online in addition to looking after two children all day was draining.

"Teachers are already massively overworked, lots of them are getting sick. They're risking their own health by going back to school," Ms Banks said.

"No matter how brilliant teachers are, they can't stop kids breathing on each other and being children."

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