HSE - Coronavirus Update** (03/03/20)

Letter from Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer at the Dept. of Health in relation to the Coronavirus COVID-19

Update 02/03/20 at 11.25. 

Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team, 01 March 2020​
https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/information-for-schools-preschools-and-third-level-institutions-on-the-coronavirus.html

Update 27/02/20 at 20.45

Dear all,
The Department of Education and Skills has received a letter from the Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, with advice to parents of school children travelling from regions affected by Covid-19.

​The letter is available on The Department of Eduction website below under the heading, ‘Chief Medical Officer advice to parents’;

https://www.education.ie/en/TheDepartment/Announcements/information-for-schools-preschools-and-third-level-institutions-onthecoronavirus.html

The Department has also published hand washing guidance posters, available above, for schools to print and display.
There is a link on the above page to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) website which contains specific guidance for educational settings.

https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/educationguidance/

All of the above information from the Department of Education and Skills website is also available in Irish.

Gerry Duffy
Principal
CBC Monkstown Park

Update 26/02/20 
The Department of Education has indicated to CBC that public health doctors are available to liaise with schools and advise on precautions if staff or students have any concerns relating to the COVID-19 virus.

Our advice follows the HSE Guidelines that anyone who travelled to the affected regions in the last 14 days and is feeling unwell, the advice is to remain at home and to contact their GP. People are only advised by the HSE to self-quarantine if they are feeling unwell after returning from the affected areas. Anyone who has travelled from the affected regions and has no symptoms should visit www.HSE.ie for advice, 
​
Schools and third level institutions are being reminded that students can best protect themselves from COVID-19 by regular hand-washing and good respiratory hygiene.

Our premise here in CBC is as follows: We contacted the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre on Monday February 24th and again on Tuesday February 25th. We also contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs. The HSE said on both occasions that if a staff member or student who was in the affected area  begins to feel unwell, then they should remain at home and contact their GP. If they display flu-like symptoms, then we will ask them to stay at home for 14 days. 

I think that this is one of those things where we do have to put it into perspective, but really not lose focus in that this is a very serious situation and it could get a lot worse as it is evolving. There have been no quarantine restrictions at our entry points (ports/airports) to date so we are not at the mitigation phase. Mitigation refers to actions to reduce the seriousness and impact of the outbreak. 
​
We have met all the TY students this morning and have gone through the issue in detail regarding possible symptoms and possible actions to take as well.
We have also outlined procedures for respiratory etiquette among all students and staff. 

Mr. Duffy
Principal 
CBC Monkstown Park