Hong Kong is currently experiencing a high number of people who are getting the flu. We know of one school at least that has been shut for all of this week owing to a flu outbreak.
As a school we are constantly reminding our children to wash their hands and reminding them of good hygiene practices. We have also doubled our cleaning efforts, including following the recommendation to use a stronger concentrate of bleach.
The most important step in preventing a flu outbreak is ensuring that children (and adults) who show flu like symptoms have their temperature taken before coming to school.
Symptoms: Fever (<37.5), chills, muscle aches, headache, cough and runny nose.
Children with a combination of these symptoms should stay at home until they are well enough to return and fever free without the use of anti-pyretics. Influenza is highly contagious and can spread when a child inhales infected droplets in the air which have been coughed or sneezed by the infected person.
The best prevention is to ensure children are not coming to school infected. If you have any doubt please take your child’s temperature before sending them to school. If your child has a fever do not send them to school.
The next step is for the schools, including Peak School, to check the temperature of every child (and adult) before they enter the school. This will only happen if there is a major outbreak across Hong Kong but to put it in context, it has happened twice in the 12 years I have been here.