Information about the Coronavirus

As you will have seen in the media the situation is rapidly evolving internationally concerning the Coronavirus. This is a new virus and its specific nature is currently unclear, however it appears that you can have the virus at an early stage and not be showing any symptoms. This incubation period is currently considered to be 14 days.

As a school we follow both Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education advice when responding to situations such as this. A recent update from the Ministry of Education has advised us to ask all of our school families who have arrived back in New Zealand from China in the last two weeks to delay your child’s start back to school until you have been back in New Zealand for 14 days. Also if you have travelled to an area of the world where the virus is now present and you feel that you may have been in contact with someone who has contracted the virus you should delay returning to school for the incubation period (14 days). If everyone in your household is symptom free when the two-week period is up your child should come to school as normal. For us to monitor the situation at our school and to support our students and their families please notify the school of any absence in this case, informing us of the countries visited and the expected date they will be returning to school.

We are monitoring the situation in China closely with regards to concerns around a potentially pandemic virus. We have procedures in place for the incidence of infectious diseases and will be revisiting them with staff prior to school starting back. We will continue to update you with information through the school App, newsletter and by email. The Ministry of Health have created the following link with information and updates about the virus; https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

Remember to see your doctor immediately if you or your child develops a fever, cough or respiratory illness and explain your travel destinations to ensure that health professionals are fully informed.

All families are encouraged to follow these basic principles to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections:

• Keep your child at home if he or she develops a fever and visit a health professional
• Avoid close contact with a person with an acute respiratory infection
• Frequently wash hands
• Practice cough etiquette – maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing and wash hands
• People with asthma and other types of cough should inform others of their condition to promote understanding rather than anxiety

Thank you for your ongoing support, we look forward to seeing you back on the 7th February.