Schools across the country have begun to reopen and many kids are itching to get back into the classroom. But, if they’re literally scratching their heads, experts are imploring parents to please keep them at home.
Melbourne University Professor of Dermatology Rodney Sinclair said the COVID-19 lockdown could be a unique “window of opportunity” to drastically reduce the spread of head lice.
Professor Sinclair said lice could have potentially spread within a family during lockdown but it’s unlikely to have spread through school-aged children due to limited face-to-face education.
If parents were vigilant and checked their kids before sending them back then the amount of lice in the school-aged population could be suppressed for a long period, Professor Sinclair said.
“If everybody did it together, it might just peter out,” he said. “If we find the carriers and treat them all before we go back, we could stop this whole issue.”
Lice can affect anyone. But, as most parents are painfully aware, school-aged children are much more likely to fall victim to this misbehaving classmate.
The COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing practises have meant a pause to shared hats and lunchtime hair braiding trains.
Click on the link to read the full article: https://www.theage.com.au/national/flattening-the-lice-curve-our-chance-to-suppress-nits-20200525-p54w22.html
Author: Lisa Favazzo