Hong Kong, 8 February 2022: The latest round of
school closures in Hong Kong in response to the Omicron-driven
fifth wave of coronavirus infections will have produced sighs of
exasperation from affected families.
This is the third academic year in a row that has been badly
disrupted by the pandemic. The negative impact on students'
learning and health, both physical and mental, has been well documented by my colleague Colin Cohen.
Numerous studies on the effects of prolonged online learning show
children and young adults are falling behind in their studies,
suffering from reduced social interaction and, in some cases,
gaining weight due to a lack of outdoor activity.
But parents, as well, are bearing the brunt as they strive to
juggle work commitments with childcare responsibilities. This
burden is exacerbated among low-income and single-parent families,
especially those who have neither the financial means nor the space
to employ a domestic helper.
