The dozens of passionate comments left on the AusDoc website as to whether schools should open shortly reveal how difficult it is to make wise decisions in an emotionally fraught setting (as when the health of our children is at stake) without a solid base of facts.   

It is a terribly complicated matter, unlikely to be resolved painlessly.  

Children, parents, teachers, and workplaces will all be affected one way or another. What might be workable in one locality may not work in another – making a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution an awkward fit.   

We know that COVID-19 thrives in areas of low-socioeconomic privilege, and we should attend especially to the needs of schools in poorer areas when considering closing them.