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Parents are reminded to take their children's temperature before sending them to school as a precautionary measure against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

"As the new school year starts next week, parents are urged to join schools in preventing the occurrence of SARS on school campuses," a spokesman for the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB) said today (August 30).

"To achieve this, students should have their temperature checked daily before going to school. If the temperature is normal, parents should record the temperature and sign a record sheet to show to the school."

The record sheet can be obtained from schools or downloaded from the EMB website (http://www.emb.gov.hk/EDNEWHP/resource/APneumonia/English/Recordsheet.doc).

Alternatively, parents may simply keep the body temperature record on a piece of paper with their signature.

"More importantly, if a student has a fever or is not feeling well, he or she should seek medical advice and rest at home," the spokesman said.

He stressed that personal hygiene was of primary importance in preventing infectious diseases.

"Students should wash their hands before entering the classroom and after touching public installations and equipment. They must also wash their hands before meals and after sneezing, coughing or cleaning their noses and should avoid sharing towels or utensils at meal times.

"Students should wear masks when they have mild symptoms of respiratory tract infection so as to reduce the chance of spreading the disease," he added.

For further details, parents and students can refer to the Handbook on Atypical Pneumonia on the EMB website (http://www.emb.gov.hk/eng/archive.asp).

End/Saturday, August 30, 2003

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