Dear Parents

In Hong Kong, a continuous rise in HFMD activity and spread of Flu is noted recently. In order to prevent students from getting sick, we would like to remind parents not to send students with HFMD or Flu symptoms to school. For students taking sick leave during the Year End Assessment, a supplementary assessment will be arranged on the first day that the student resumes school. The supplementary assessment will start on 15/6. Since the purpose of Year End Assessment is to provide students with opportunities to experience a formal assessment, and to evaluate their learning progress, the result of the assessment will not be used for ranking, and therefore marks will not be deducted from the supplementary year end assessment. Parents are strongly advised to allow the infected student to take rest at home until the student is fully recovered.

Below is the guideline issued by the Centre of Health Protection:

HFMD outbreak and EV71 infection

To prevent HFMD outbreak and EV71 infection in your institution, CHP would recommend you taking the following steps:

1. Maintain good communication with parents and help them to understand the need to keep children at home for rest when they develop fever or rash. Advise them to see doctor promptly if they develop symptoms suggestive of HFMD.

2. Encourage staff to screen for sick children before they enter the school. Children with HFMD should be excluded from schools until fever has subsided and all the vesicles have dried and crusted. (As an extra precaution, children with EV71 infection are advised not to go to school for another two weeks after all symptoms subsided, since the virus may be excreted in stool for some weeks and is associated with a higher risk of complications.)

3. Supervise children on personal hygiene practices, especially on how to wash the hands properly with liquid soap before meals and after going to toilet, cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, and proper disposal of nasal and mouth discharge.

4. Keep the environment clean and hygienic, and follow the Guidelines on Prevention of Communicable Diseases in Child Care Centres, Kindergartens, and Schools which is available at http://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/School_full_eng_20090115.pdf

5. Last but not least, please also incorporate in your health education to children that, when they are having holidays outside Hong Kong, they should also remember to keep their hands clean and avoid touching vesicles on hands of other sick children.

Regards,

Teaching and Learning Team (Primary Section)

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