Posted by
jdinhk
17 yrs ago
Can anyone tell me where to look for up to date information about which schools are closed early for Easter break due to the flu problems?
Is it only local schools or all Primary Schools?
I guess I'm interested in knowing about the ESF International Schools but I cannot get onto their website - seems jammed.
Thanks
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KAT8
17 yrs ago
All primary schools in Hong Kong are closed from tomorrow. The ESF website announced the closure as well. You can also check news regarding schools here http://www.edb.gov.hk
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Thanks for the confirmation. Unfortunately my computer keeps jamming when I try both these sites so I appreciate your response
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http://www.esf.edu.hk/index.aspx?nodeid=963&Page=1&langno=1&UID=270&isArchive=false&parentNode=997
There's the direct link; all primary schools and kindergartens are closed.
I've been in a bit of a panic as my son is only 3 mos. old and we live in the NT's. Not to mention, my husband is a kindergarten teacher.
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"I've been in a bit of a panic as my son is only 3 mos. old and we live in the NT's. Not to mention, my husband is a kindergarten teacher."
There is no such thing as 100% safe but the flu is typically not a dangerous disease nowadays. Are you and your husband vaccinated?
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There really needs to be a better advisory alert system here in HK for all schools government, ESF and all the independents with out breaks and weather. It is almost impossible to find any information. To my knowledge this flu has not affected the whole of the HK territory a call like this may be a bit OTT. There will be many coming back late now from holidays.
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The Health Secretary, York Chow, has apologised for the short notice given to schools and parents to close primary schools to curb the flu outbreak. The Government announced its decision at a 10.30 news conference last night. Dr Chow said the action had been taken to protect young children.
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What else is new! Use your common sense to do two things, if your child is sick, keep them home from school or other areas as not to affect others (have we not been doing this our whole lives already), two, understand that the flu or flu related deaths are around 1000 per year in HK anyhow. Recent deaths had underlying issues and none showed link to Bird Flu. If you lived in HK for over 5 years you are used to the HK goverment actions, used to people not using thier own common sense and used to people panicing at the drop of a hat, or flu!
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mrsl
17 yrs ago
If only it were that simple HaHKGKid! You'd be surprised what a scarce commodity 'common sense' is here. People regularly send visibly ill children to school, plagroups, sports etc. I'm not sure whether it's because they resent paying for something that they miss out on or that they cannot imagine what else to do with their children.
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If you are in the teaching and tutoring profession then you you definately are exposed to both. Some teaching professionals seem to have a greater immunity to flu anyhow. Wear a mask, hands away from eyes, mouth etc. We were here during SARS so we can easily make the call.
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Just released:
Subject: WARDEN MESSAGE FROM THE U.S. CONSULATE HONG KONG
As you may know, last night (March 12, 2008), the Secretary for Food and
Health for the Hong Kong SAR government announced that all primary
schools, kindergartens, and nursery schools would start their Easter
Break from today for two weeks as a precautionary measure against the
spread of influenza (also known as "flu") in schools. The Hong Kong SAR
government has emphasized to us that this is only a precautionary
measure. At present, there is no indication that there is any
significant change of the virus that makes it exceptionally more
virulent than the usual influenza virus.
We recommend that you follow Hong Kong SAR government advice to take
normal precautions against influenza, including maintaining good
personal and environmental hygiene, and building up good body immunity
by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing
stress and avoiding smoking.
For up to date information about the influenza situation, please consult
the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection's Daily Update of Influenza
Situation, available on its website at
http://www.chp.gov.hk/index.asp?lang=en.
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mrsl
17 yrs ago
Cara, I'm impressed that you do not charge for lessons unless they are taken. The majority of those that my children attend charge for a set course regardless of whether or not they attend. These are group classes though, and you'd be amazed how poorly some of the participants are sometimes!
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"if your child is sick, keep them home from school or other areas as not to affect others (have we not been doing this our whole lives already)"
As several have mentioned many people send their kids to school (and take them to restaurants, and to the playground) when they are sick. Common sense is not that common. Annoying for the rest of us, but at least our daughters have built up some nice immunities during their first ½ year in HK. ;)
"Some teaching professionals seem to have a greater immunity to flu anyhow. "
Seems logical since they are more exposed and would tend to build up their immune systems more.
"We recommend that you follow Hong Kong SAR government advice to take
normal precautions against influenza, including maintaining good
personal and environmental hygiene, and building up good body immunity
by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing
stress and avoiding smoking. "
I may be a cynic but I think quite a few people miss out on good diet and good hygiene, including for their children. Also people live closer together in HK than in, say, your typical US city. Combined with the muggy climate it's no surprise that viral diseases spread easily.
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What I don't get is that some primary schools have remained open and left it to "parents discretion" I have also just got an email from a sports organization claiming to have put on "extra classes so that your kids will have something to do"!
I understand that it is a pain having kids home and bored but surely everyone should abide by the policy as the whole point of it will be lost if everyone chooses to end the rules to suit.
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typo - 'bend the rules to suit'
and why should some business' cash in while others are trying to do the right thing? I went past several tutorial centres with young children inside "open for business" as usual this afternoon.
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Agreed with Jessica. Then again if the parents don't feel like "protecting" their kids, there's not much that can be done.
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I know the lost money is annoying but at least you can look yourself in the mirror in the morning. And I for one respect your stance.
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mrsl
17 yrs ago
Best of luck with it cara. If I was in your area, I'd sign up for your playgroup in a heartbeat. Much as I do not believe in having my children live in a bubble, I am not too keen on taking them to classes to have them sneezed and coughed on by very ill children (whose parents cannot imagine ways to care for them at home). I think your approach should mean that your class is a real success. There must be lots of parents who will treat you fairly because you are doing the same for them.
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cd
17 yrs ago
To Jessica,
Our club is still running the football tournament scheduled for tomorrow, and hopefully the rugby club will still run training on sunday. If people don't want to send their kids then fine, but many of us do. And surely exercise and fresh air is good for the kids, builds up their health and immunity. And had the schools given us the choices, then yes my kids would be at school today, although the lie in was appreciated.
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Hi cd, I wasn't trying to be the "fun police" I was just trying to work out why a plan has been made but the rules are being bent. I agree that fresh air and exercise are vital for all of us to stay healthy. I guess my point was that, unless there is a blanket closure and enforced isolation (as ott as that sounds) there is no point (in my humble opinion) having some things operate and other things close because in the end you can not contain something or indeed stop it escalating if some are playing one game and others the other.
I would love for my son to be at school, but I guess I am confused as to why he is missing out on school because it is closed and yet able to head to a week of summer camp - it is just a bit weird and double standard and a bit confusing and quite frankly I think it is a useless measure if kids are being asked to not go to school but still having as much contact with peers!
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"I guess my point was that, unless there is a blanket closure and enforced isolation (as ott as that sounds) there is no point (in my humble opinion) having some things operate and other things close because in the end you can not contain something or indeed stop it escalating if some are playing one game and others the other."
I don't really agree. At this point contact between children has been severely curtailed. Even if 20% of the kids still meet and so forth, that means the other 80% will be "quarantined". Furthermore just by raising awareness about hygiene and symptoms risk is significantly mitigated. Sick kids are presumably more likely to be at home than before.
Forcing a curfew and isolation is a rather draconian measure for this situation. It's the flu, not ebola. Ignoring for a moment the human rights issue, the economic impact would be enormous.
"I think it is a useless measure if kids are being asked to not go to school but still having as much contact with peers!"
There's a difference. At the playground they only meet the local kids. At school they meet kids from all over. The latter allows diseases to spread wider, faster.
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OK - I don't think I am getting my thoughts across as I should. Completely agree that it is flu and not ebola and completely agree that curfews would be draconian.
I guess I will sign my son up for soccer camp and carry on as normal, I hear that kids are coming from "all over" for it so it should be a fun week with no pressure of school and it will be outside so it beats staying at home.
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190k
17 yrs ago
Common sense is lacking here. I have been here for over 40 years. The poor little girl who dies was discharged from hospital with medicine and a fever of over 40 degrees. What did the parents do? Take her home to bed and help care for her when her body was fighting the flu? NO THEY TOOK HER TO YAM CHA
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I wanted to add that it's important to keep things in perspective. Riding a car or crossing a street in HK probably carries more risk of death than getting the flu. There is no such thing as 100% safe but if you've taken reasonable precautions there's not much to worry about. I would expect any family with kids to take hygiene precautions whether it's flu season or not. When I read the government advisory I could not find one thing I don't do anyway.
"Common sense is lacking here. I have been here for over 40 years. The poor little girl who dies was discharged from hospital with medicine and a fever of over 40 degrees. What did the parents do? Take her home to bed and help care for her when her body was fighting the flu? NO THEY TOOK HER TO YAM CHA"
I agree. It's all very sad.
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Cara Said
"I have a feeling that many parents took their kids to school today only to find that the schools were closed."
Sorry to say your feelings were incorrect. I'm a teacher and on my journey to school I saw no primary children going to school at all. My school has 1200+ students; 3 turned up - not because they didn't know but because their parents could not find any alternative place for the to be without bieng on their own.
The papers reported 'chaos' but none was evident in reality.
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I heard another wrinkle on this yesterday. In, say, the UK, a big epidemic is a problem, but the health care system can typically handle it. In China a big epidemic would put serious strain on the less developed health care system, perhaps even causing it to collapse. So the Chinese authorities need to be much more proactive. If an epidemic does happen, they may find themselves in over their heads.
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Kumon in City One has closed their centre for the duration as well. However, they are offering make-up classes later and parents can exchange the work on their regularly scheduled days. Also, the Chinese teachers are phoning the students to check their pronunciation.
On another note, I heard rumor that the Gov is considering keeping schools closed longer b/c the peak season isn't until late April. Has anyone else heard anything about this?
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could very well be namaste....
Warning flu season still at peak
2008-03-18 HKT 09:08
Health officials have warned that the flu season will remain at its peak for another few weeks. This came as medical experts from Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau met to exchange information on the latest situation. Dr S K Chuang, a consultant with the Centre for Health Protection, said the number of flu cases was still on the rise. ↓
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hi all, when is "flu season" in HK? And how often does this level of break-out happen? I know every country gets hit by the flu hard every once and a while just curious on what HK's "cycle" is. For example Australia hasnt had a major flu outbreak for at least 10 years but the flu makes a lot of people very sick every year.
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"when is "flu season" in HK? "
AFAiK there are two seasons in HK. One around now and one in oct-dec.
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