Dr Norman Swan, Physician and Journalist

We’re getting a lot of questions asking, “How can I make my kid wear a mask?” Well, the rule in Melbourne is I think it’s 12 years and above. And the reality is that a 12 year old can spread the virus just as much as an adult. And do they like the city being in lockdown? Do they like not being able to go to the football and sport? Do they like not being able to mix with their friends? There’s a motivation here to actually get this under control, and in the end, it’s the rule. You’ve just got to do it, because that’s the law. And it’s tough love. Apart from that, If I had a lot of the answers about how to tell 12 year olds to do stuff, I’d have been the perfect parent myself, and I’d have won a Nobel prize.