HK Closes Kindergartens and Primary Schools H1N1

rani

rani

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23/6 - Gov't Announced Kindergartens and Primary Schools will remain Closed and will re-open after Summer Holidays.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_...5&sid=24329469&con_type=1&d_str=20090624&fc=4

11/6 - Gov't just announced they are closing all kindergartens and primary schools for 2 weeks.

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=15026


Hong Kong is set to order all primary and lower-level schools to close for two weeks after confirming that a cluster of influenza cases at St Paul's Convent School involves the swine flu virus.

The order, to be effective from tomorrow,is expected to be announced by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen shortly.

The move to shut all primary schools, kindergartens and nurseries came after Centre for Health Protection confirmed that the St Paul cluster of cases are swine flu infections and raise the number of cases to 12 from nine previously.
 
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Yes, just saw the news flash. Sad way for the children to end the term and for those of us staying in HK over summer, another two weeks of holidays to occupy the kids! Yikes.
 
All the best. I suspect that means all ballet, swimming etc classes too will take a break! But I am here in Melbourne where we have soooo many cases and I think it is a good move!
 
gosh.............any mums wanting to meet up!! i really haven;t planned for this 'sudden' break.
 
i'm closing... not that any parents would bring their children anyway!

i'm not all about the money, though...even though i'll not be getting any but i'll still be paying my staff...it's just me that is/will be without income.
 
i wouldn't make a sweeping statement like that.. as i said, i'm not charging for classes missed. i'll be offering make-up classes when we get back.

it depends on who runs the playgroup and for what reason. if they are only in it for the money, then they will charge...i'm not. i still have to pay my employees, but it will be coming out of my pocket.
 
My son called all excited that school is over. He said the teachers will be emailing the kids homework. :)
 
My 2 children go to a school within the woodlands group and we will be asking what adjustments will be being made as a result. I will have to see what they say. I am also concerned as we have also booked for summer school, if the closure is extended it is an awful lot of money to have lost.
 
Carang - thank you for doing the right thing. There is a playgroup that I am aware of that is not going to close. I think this is so wrong and it really makes me mad. It is totally incompetent in my books, shows a lack of regard for the children and the community and shows where their motivations lie. Please don't send your little ones to playgroup until the EDB lifts this suspension.
 
Staff still need to be paid, just like when the EMB closed the schools in 2003 during SARS.

Summer schools? Don't know how that would work......

I do think that in this case it is a complete over reaction. Swine flu is nothing like SARS in terms of severity, and it seems to be a political move rather than one based on health.
 
All children's classes at the YWCA (ESMD) will be closed. No refunds or credits, but they will schedule make-up classes though.
 
I think its an over reaction.... Instead of being monitored in a classroom where you can check on where children have been to/from (flying out of HK eg.) Now we're going to have to take them to public places filled with children... insane...
 
Although it may not appear to be a serious virus - the problem is if it mutates into a virus that is unable to be contained or becomes more serious - that is the problem and why authorities are taking these actions. Please don't send your little ones to playgroup during the suspension - it is not worth it!
 
i,personally, have great empathy for whoever had to make the decision. they have the health and well-being of 7 million people to think about. that is an awesome responsibility and one that i would not want to have. it is easy for us to sit back and say how crazy we think they are, but i can guarantee that if ANY of our children went to school, caught something and died from it, we would be asking why the gov't wasn't there to protect us!!?!?

personally, i don't think that it is necessary to close schools now and for 2 weeks, but if it ends up saving one child from getting sick or worse, then i think it's worth it. it wouldn't matter to me how inconvenienced i was over it.
 
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