*************************************************
The Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) today (June 23) announced that school staff and students were no longer required to wear facemasks in school following the announcement by the World Health Organisation to remove Hong Kong from the list of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-affected areas.
"Under general circumstances, there is no need for school staff and students to wear facemasks in school and on school buses or nanny vans. However, if they have mild respiratory tract infective symptoms but without a fever, they should wear facemasks to reduce the chance of spreading the disease," an EMB spokesman said.
The spokesman reminded parents that they should continue to take the temperature of their children daily and the temperature record sheets should be shown to schools. Any student who has a fever or is not feeling well should seek medical advice immediately and take rest at home.
"Students are also reminded to maintain good personal hygiene, and wash hands before meals and after sneezing, coughing or cleaning the nose. They should also avoid sharing towels or utensils at meal times," he added.
Schools are advised to maintain their efforts to cleanse the school premises and facilities with diluted household bleach solution on a daily basis. They should also provide adequate facilities and cleansing materials for hand washing, maintain good indoor ventilation and wash the dust filters of air-conditioners frequently.
The spokesman stressed that both schools and parents should stay alert to SARS and ensure a safe and hygienic learning environment on the school premises.
"Parents should inform the school if their children have visited places with SARS cases so that the school will take the temperature of these students for 10 days as a double-check measure. Likewise, schools should take the same measure for staff," he said.
"In addition, measures on cases of staff members or students under home confinement/observation or confirmed or suspected of being infected are still valid."
EMB has issued a circular memorandum earlier informing school of the arrangements. For the latest health advice and news on SARS issued by the Department of Health, please visit the website http://www.info.gov.hk/info/sars/e_hkcomm.htm .
End/Monday, June 23, 2003
NNNN
