Preschoolers Jolyn Wong and Lee Boon Wee (right), both six, are 'hygiene ambassadors' at Learning Vision @ Cecil, the first preschool to receive its Singapore's OK label yesterday. Their duties include maintaining a toilet hygiene checklist. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN
SOME schools are asking staff and students who have travelled to flu-affected countries during the June holidays not to attend classes within seven days of returning home.
Eleven schools told The Straits Times that this was a precautionary measure they were taking against an outbreak of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus when the holidays end in less than two weeks.
Preschools striving for Singapore's OK label
SOME preschools are taking extra measures to keep their premises hygienic so as to keep their children healthy.
A first batch of 27 preschools have attained the 'Singapore's OK' status - a voluntary programme where recipients maintain high standards of hygiene.
Last week, two teenage girls who did not know they were infected attended holiday activities and classes in school before they were diagnosed.
Schools are now taking no chances and have geared up to keep the flu virus outside their gates.
Last week, the World Health Organisation declared a pandemic of H1N1.
Countries with sustained community transmission or exported cases are Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Panama, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Some schools, such as Nan Hua Primary and Marsiling Secondary, will also cancel assemblies for now. Said Marsiling Secondary's principal Loke Chee Pheng: 'We will play it by ear. Our intention is to minimise the chances of the virus spreading at a mass gathering.'
Elias Park Primary School will set aside an unused classroom for students who are feeling unwell.
Temperature screening stations have been set up at the main entrances of schools such as Bukit Panjang Government High School and Boon Lay Secondary School.
Schools said that any child who has not been to an affected country but is feverish will have his or her parents called to take the child to a doctor. Suspected H1N1 cases will be sent to hospital via the 993 ambulance.
Some schools, such as St Hilda's Secondary, said they would carry out contact tracing and would disinfect areas like the classroom and common areas if any of their students were found to have H1N1.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
