HSC student Jaida Way is keen to return to school as soon as possible.
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The Woonona High School captain is aware of the health risks but feels the Wollongong LGA shouldn't be in lockdown.
"COVID isn't as bad here as the other eight LGA's. We haven't got that many cases," she said.
"If things stay as they are and we don't get that many cases I think we should return on August 16.
"It's been hard learning from home. It would be great to return to school but only if there isn't any real health concerns."
Her views come as the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC) became the latest to voice opposition to NSW Government plans to fast-track the return to school of Year 12 students.
On Monday the Independent Education Union, which represents 32,000 school staff throughout NSW and the ACT, wrote an open letter to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian urging her to rethink bringing Year 12 students back to school on August 16.
Even the Australian Medical Association president Dr Omar Khorshid expressed strong reservations about Year 12 returning to schools.
"There is no need for the additional risk of bringing Year 12 back to school, bringing teachers back to school, putting those teachers at risk, putting the families of those teachers, the other staff, the cleaners, the people in the canteens and, of course, the families of Year 12 students themselves [at risk]," Dr Khorshid said. "We call on the NSW Government to revisit that decision."
On Wednesday the peak body representing Illawarra and South Coast workers, also urged the Premier not to gamble with Delta.
"The Labour Council Executive was addressed by the president of the NSW Teachers Federation, Angelo Gavrielatos this morning and we were shocked to hear the enormity of the risk and exposure inherent in the Government's return to school plan," SCLC president Arthur Rorris said.
"No one wants the return of students to school more than the working families that we represent, but these same people need to be assured that these decisions are made with the safety of those students, their teachers and school staff as the paramount consideration.
"We know that the Illawarra has been presenting no known cases for some time but we are only ever one week away from an outbreak and we have a largely unvaccinated population.
"The first step is for the Premier and her health chief to sit down with the unions representing those workers and reach a consensus on these questions."
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