This week Q+A puts young people front and centre – on the panel and sending in questions from around the country.
The Delta variant is radically changing the face of COVID and we’re seeing a rising number of infections in children and teens.
Schools have become the new battleground, with outbreaks among students across states and exams delayed or cancelled. In Melbourne, playgrounds are closed and a curfew is back in place, as part of stricter lockdown measures.
The Federal Government has announced that all people aged 16 to 39 will be eligible for a covid vaccine by the end of August, however many who are keen to be immunised still face a long wait.
Is it time to reconsider the focus on vulnerable adult groups? What are the particular needs of young people when it comes to vaccine access and information? How are the ongoing lockdowns in NSW and Victoria affecting school and university students? And what about those young people losing their jobs and career paths due to COVID? Are we giving young people enough of a say in all this?
Joining Virginia Trioli on the panel:
Norman Swan, Aus. Research Alliance for Children and Youth and Coronacast presenter
Anthea Rhodes, Paediatrician and child health researcher
Fiona Russell, Paediatrician and epidemiologist
Petria Houvardas, Year 12 student from Sydney
Arth Tuteja, Year 11 student from Melbourne
Read more about our panelists here
Q+A is simulcast LIVE around the country on ABC TV, ABC iview and ABC NEWS on radio. ABC Australia also broadcasts Q+A into Asia and the Pacific.
Members of the public can:
Submit questions for the panel at: abc.net.au/qanda
Contribute to the discussion via Q+A’s Twitter highlights feed, using #qanda
Submit live questions via Twitter using #qanda and @qanda
Follow @qanda on Twitter to receive first-hand updates about the program and panel members.
Q+A is also live streamed on Twitter and available on the Q+A website.
Coronacast is a daily podcast that’s all about answering your coronavirus questions. Hosted by Dr Norman Swan and health reporter Tegan Taylor, we break down the latest news and research to help you understand how the world is living through an epidemic. Hear it on the ABC listen app or wherever you get your podcasts.
