Keeping you informed – Otahuhu Intermediate School

Information on COVID-19

CURRENT SITUATION

19/3/2020 (2:15pm)

Otahuhu Intermediate is open for instruction.
Parents to keep their children home if they are unwell.

There are new recommendations for self-isolation.

Dear Parents,

If your child arrived in New Zealand from any country (except the Pacific Island countries listed in Category 2 of the MoH website) prior to 1:00am on Monday 16 March you should self-isolate from the date of departure for 14 days.

If the criteria for self-isolation above applies to another member of your household, but your child hasn’t travelled, we would recommend that your child also self-isolates UNLESS you have been following the Ministry of Health’s ‘self-isolation guidelines’. These guidelines are summarised below.

you should minimise close contact by avoiding situations where you have face-to-face contact closer than 2 metres for more than 15 minutes.
You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, pillows or other items with other people in your home. After using these items, you should wash them thoroughly with soap and water, place them in the dishwasher for cleaning or wash them in your washing machine.

Further information about self-isolation can be found on the Ministry of Health Website.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are:

a cough
a high temperature (at least 38°C)
shortness of breath.

These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have COVID-19. The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.
If you have these symptoms and have recently been to a country or area of concern, or have been in close contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19, please telephone Healthline (for free) on 0800 358 5453 or your doctor immediately.

To minimise the risk of COVID-19 spreading, teachers are to regularly remind students about good hand washing practices and avoiding close personal contact such as shaking hands, hugging etc.

Any student who feels unwell at school should report immediately to the Front Office.

The Ministry of Health website has current information.

A number of families are in the situation where a parent or grandparent has recently returned from travel but their child or grandchild hasn’t travelled. They are asking us ‘should the child also self-isolate’.

The Ministry of Health has the following advice on this:
If you have recently returned from travel and are in a home where the others who live with you haven’t travelled or been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you should minimise close contact with them by avoiding situations where you have face-to-face contact closer than 2 metres for more than 15 minutes.
You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, pillows or other items with other people in your home. After using these items, you should wash them thoroughly with soap and water, place them in the dishwasher for cleaning or wash them in your washing machine.
The other household residents do not need to self-isolate provided these precautions are followed.

The Senior Leadership Team’s interpretation of this advice is:
If a member of your home has recently returned from travel and you have not followed the self-isolation advice above, you should take the precautionary measure to protect those around you – your family, friends, colleagues – from contracting COVID-19 by also self-isolating your child for 14 days.
Teachers will have to share work online with those students who are self-isolating.

The School would like to reiterate that the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is:

Cough or sneeze into your elbow or by covering your mouth and nose with tissues.
Put used tissues in the bin or a bag immediately.
Wash your hands with soap and water often (for at least 20 seconds).
Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Avoid personal contact, such as kissing, sharing cups or food with sick people.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs.
Stay home if you feel unwell.

Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if you have any symptoms and have been to any countries or territories of concern or have been in close contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19.