Updates below have been sent to you by email on Sunday. We are also encouraging you to have your child vaccinated with the flu injection this year. If your child is unwell please keep them at home. Below is what we are doing as part of our Pandemic Planning

Practising good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene is the best defence:

• wash your hands often with soap and water before and after eating as well as after attending the toilet
• cover coughs and sneezes with clean tissues or your elbow
• put used tissues in the bin.

School:

• Keeping up to date with Ministry of Health and Education Advisories. If the virus is in our community we will be following the advice of officials re school closure.
• Informing you when information advisories to us change .We will keep you up to date through website, newsletter and APP notification system.
• Updating Pandemic plan which includes:
  
• Practising handwashing etc with children
• New Signage for Children
• Planning for sick children and staff by having up to date contact details
• Planning for ongoing education if school is closed
• Here is a good video to share with your children. We will share later next week.
  

Seven Sharp has a helpful clip about how to explain the virus to children in a way that is true, but not alarming.

Updated information from Health
As announced this week by the Ministry of Health, there are now two categories for travellers arriving in New Zealand:

Changes to requirements for travellers arriving from Northern Italy and South Korea

The existing travel restrictions for travellers from China and Iran have been extended for a further 7 days.

The Prime Minister also announced yesterday that measures are now in place for travellers arriving from Northern Italy and from South Korea. They will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days (calculated from the date they left South Korea or Northern Italy). They are still able to travel to New Zealand, there is no restriction of access to New Zealand for people arriving from these two countries.

The Ministry of Health has updated their Advice for travellers as a result of this announcement - https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-advice-travellers. In summary:

Category 1 – travellers who have been present in or transited through countries in this category are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival – currently Iran, China, South Korea and Northern Italy. Note for Iran and China, there are also restrictions in place for who can travel to New Zealand. New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, residents with valid travel conditions and their immediate family, will still be able to come to New Zealand. Australian citizens and permanent residents are also not subject to the travel restrictions if New Zealand is their primary place of established residence.

Category 2 – travellers from countries in this category should be aware of COVID-19 symptoms. They do not have to self-isolate if well. They should self-isolate if they develop any symptoms of concern and ring Healthline (0800 358 5453) if they develop symptoms within 14 days of departing the Category 2 country. Countries currently in this category are Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Italy (noting northern Italy is in category 1)

Please continue to refer to the Ministry of Health website and our website, for further information.