Source: CNA

Safety and Hygiene Practices in School

*This video was taken before masks were mandatory

• Within the guidelines for Phase 2 Heightened Alert (P2HA) as of 10 August 2021, school tours are still available (2 visitors and 1 school staff). Tours will be conducted outside of school curriculum hours. The parent attending the school tour must be fully vaccinated (14 days after the second dose of vaccination). Kindly complete this form to send us your interest, and we will be in touch with you shortly.

Advisories

Pre-Schools

• While parents have been encouraged to have their children stay home if possible, EtonHouse Pre-Schools will remain open to all children to support parents who need to work and are unable to make alternative care arrangements. 
• We have prepared some home learning resources to help keep children meaningfully engaged while they stay at home. More resources will be shared directly with our parents by their respective schools. 
• To keep our community safe in school, we will be adhering strictly to the guidelines issued by ECDA.
  • ECDA press release on 10 October

Primary and above

• EtonHouse International Schools will be conducting home-based learning (HBL) from 19 to 28 May 2021 for primary and above. The pre-school section within these international schools will remain open. We will be monitoring the situation closely and make the necessary adjustments to keep our community safe.

• To keep our community safe in school, we will be adhering strictly to the guidelines issued by MOE and CPE.
• MOE press release on 20 July

• Individuals (children and or staff) who do not feel well at any time are to seek medical attention immediately and remain at home for the duration of their MCs. If the children are well at the end of the MC period, they can return to school. If their symptoms persist, they should return to the same doctor for a follow-up assessment. 
• We encourage children with adult household members who are unwell (with fever and/or flu-like symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath) to stay home if possible. 
• All our campuses are closely monitoring the health of our staff and children and ensuring a high level of hygiene and sanitation. Apart from our regular cleaning, all schools have conducted a risk assessment for infection control and have put into place extra cleaning and sanitisation procedures. This is especially so for areas that have a higher risk- door handles, entrances, lift buttons etc.

Declarations

• The schools will require all parents to declare if their children are living with any household member under the (i) Home Quarantine Order (HQO) or (ii) Stay Home Notice (SHN) or (iii) Leave of Absence (LOA) or phone surveillance. 
• All parents are also required to declare any intended/updated travel plans of their children to other countries (including the city(s) of travel).
• While all schools are limiting access to essential personnel needed to support operations, all visitors are also required to fill in a travel and health declaration form, do temperature checks and use their Trace Together app/token to check into SafeEntry.

• We have put in place comprehensive policies in relation to the management of sick children and staff, as well as control, prevention and tracking of infections. Specific to the COVID-19, on top of our infection control plan, we have also put in place an epidemic response plan, a risk assessment process, an illness monitoring log, and a travel declaration log. These policies aim to minimise cross-infection in school settings through acknowledged best practice and are strictly adhered to by all staff members. 

• Large group activities, after school clubs, extra-curricular activities and excursions have been cancelled. Since the start of the pandemic, we have been intentional in inviting the children to talk about the virus and conducting research about the topic, to heighten their awareness and to pick up good personal hygiene to protect themselves better. 

1. What is the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).  The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new strain that has not been previously known in humans. It was first identified in China and has now spread globally. While most people will experience mild to moderate symptoms, COVID-19 may also cause severe pneumonia which may eventually lead to death.

2. What are the common signs of infection for COVID-19?

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

3. What is considered close contact?

Ministry of Health's Director of Communicable Diseases, Associate Professor Vernon Lee, said that  "To be a close contact, you have to spend a reasonable amount of time in really close proximity - usually around 2m - of the person. You need distance and time, it is not just casual contact like brushing past or walking by, in a transient kind of moment." 

4. What is the difference between a Home Quarantine Order (HQO), Leave of Absence (LOA) and Stay-Home Notice (SHN)?

Home Quarantine Order (HQO) - A HQO is served to healthy individuals who have a higher risk of exposure to the virus, such as someone who has close contact with an infected person. HQOs have legal force, with severe penalties for non-compliance. Quarantine usually occurs in the home but can also be served in dedicated Government Quarantine Facilities (GQFs) or hospitals, should the individual not have suitable accommodation in Singapore.

Leave of Absence (LOA) - An LOA is also issued to students and staff who are healthy, but have recently travelled to Mainland China. So it is a precautionary measure. Although LOAs are not legally binding, we strongly urge those on LOA to be socially responsible and comply with the LOA, to prevent possible transmission of infections. Students and staff on LOAs are not required to stay at home and be isolated at all times. During the LOA, students and staff are expected to:

• Remain contactable at all times
• Remain in the place of residence as much as possible
• Minimise visitors to the place of residence
• Minimise time spent in public places and contact with others
• Monitor their health and their temperature

Stay-Home Notice (SHN) - Those placed under the SHN are not under quarantine orders; and are not required to have a dedicated room and toilet if this is not feasible. However, they should remain in their place of residence. Persons on LOA are allowed to leave their place of residence to purchase daily necessities or to attend to important personal matters. Persons issued a SHN must remain in their place of residence at all times.

• Staying Home with children: Educational resources and suggested activities
• Parenting Guide
• MOH Covid-19 inforgraphics (4 languages)
• Respectful Parenting
• Parenting Webinars
• Mindful Parenting E-book

EtonHouse Head Office
178 Clemenceau Avenue #06-00
Haw Par Glass Tower Singapore 239926

Tel +65 6746 3333
Fax +65 6746 0332
enquiry@etonhouse.com.sg