Dear Parents,
Not only are we in the final month of school, but we are also in the middle of cold and flu season. A number of students have been become ill within the past week and we would like to advise you on some helpful precautions to prevent illnesses from spreading.

Cold and Influenza (Flu)
There are a number of students absent due to a variety of symptoms, such as fevers, headache, coughing and vomiting. Students are susceptible to catching a cold or flu due to the close proximity of students in a school. Each year around this time, we have an increased number of cold and flu cases. Please monitor your child. If your child is sick for more than one day, we encourage you to take them to the doctor.

Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD)
One student in a Junior Kindergarten class was diagnosed with Hand Foot Mouth Disease. When a child in a class is diagnosed, hygiene and preventative care for all students is increased. Students are screened on a daily basis by the nurse for any symptoms and referred to a doctor as necessary. Toys and surfaces in the affected classroom are disinfected. The number of cases are monitored and class may be suspended if there are excessive outbreaks. Additional information about HFMD is available here.

What Can Parents Do?
1. Students with a fever must stay home until the fever passes. Please inform the office if your child is absent due to a fever.
2. If you child is vomiting or coughing excessively, please keep them at home.
3. Remind your child about good hygiene:
– washing their hands with soap and water
– using a tissue when sneezing or coughing
– not sharing food with classmates
4. Ensure your children are eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.

What Can the School Do?
1. The school monitors attendance of all students and informs the DSEJ as necessary.
2. The school follows the Health Departments recommendations when there is an outbreak in Macau.
3. If a child falls ill at school, they are screened by the nurse and parents will be asked to come pick them up if necessary.
4. Students are reminded to practice good hygiene to prevent illnesses.
5. IF there is an outbreak, the school is prepared:
– perimeter temperature checking
– sterile hand washing solution stations around the school
– additional hygiene stations in toilets and classrooms

Avoiding rumours and speculation is important. Many of us remember SARS and H1N1. As such, it is natural to worry about the next serious illness or pandemic. However, there is no indication that this is the current case. The latest serious disease being monitored is MERS. We have NO reason to believe that any students have MERS or have been exposed to MERS. We are just providing information regarding MERS so that people are informed.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
Hong Kong and China recently reported a single MERS case. MERS is a serious illness that originated in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Affected persons have either lived in the Arabian Peninsula or recently traveled there. It is spread through close contact and is not as contagious as the cold or flu. Governments and health care professionals are carefully monitoring the spread of MERS.

As you know, each year we go through a period of time where a higher number of students become ill. During these times, it is important that we each do our part to ensure our children and students are healthy.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or anyone at the school.

All the best,
Howard Stribbell, Head of School