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SINGAPORE: Students in Singapore returned to local schools on Monday to find full measures in place to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu.
After a month-long break, teachers and students who had travelled to H1N1-affected countries, or those who were unwell, had been told to stay home.
Over at Outram Secondary School, a screening station at the school gates greeted students as they returned for class.
"I have flu. (Question: If you have the flu, why not stay at home?) A bit only...will recover after that," said a student.
Those who displayed flu-like symptoms were isolated from their classmates and sent home.
Students were also required to hand in their travel declaration forms to their teachers.
All classes were also taught lessons on how to be socially responsible and adopt good hygiene habits based on guidelines set out in the Education Ministry's H1N1 education package.
Posters on social responsibility went up around the school and videos on hygiene habits were shown on television screens throughout the school as well.
Similar H1N1 precautionary measures were carried out at Mee Toh Primary School.
Recess was also staggered over four school periods, instead of the previous two, to reduce the risk of infection.
At Nan Hua Primary School at Jalan Lempeng, students were segregated into three batches for staggered recess breaks.
Principal Lee Hui Feng said: "That means each group has about 200 pupils and we try to ensure that when the children gather, there's a gap in between the classes and we shorten the time that they are assembled together. I think the most important thing is the teacher will monitor their health status closely and we also remind students about their personal hygiene."
Some students took the new measures in their stride and were just glad to be back. "I feel very happy coming back to school because I can see my friends," said one chirpy student.
Measures are also in place to ensure staff do not cross-infect one other.
Choy Wai Yin, principal of Outram Secondary School, said: "We're dividing the staff into different teams and there will be different staff rooms for this period of time so that there is minimal mass staff contact with one another and we will always have a functioning team."
The Education Ministry says one to two per cent of all students in Singapore are serving out a Leave Of Absence (LOA) as a precaution.
Outram Secondary School says out of its 950 students, some 30 of them and one teacher are on LOA.
While over at Mee Toh Primary School, there are 29 students and one teacher on LOA.
Some parents Channel NewsAsia spoke to were skeptical about whether measures such as filling up travel declaration forms would work.
One parent, who dropped off his child at Mee Toh Primary School, said: "Whether they will declare it properly, whether they have been to the affected countries, we're not sure. But I think that it's quite right that we have some sort of precautionary measures."
Speaking at an event on Monday morning, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen addressed concerns about whether more schools may be closed, if the situation gets worse.
He said: "I wouldn't paint a doomsday scenario and say 'what if'. For schools, what it does mean is that when we want to prevent big clusters from forming, we have to close down certain classes, certain schools. And we take it a day at a time, a week at a time and we adjust to the situation."
Dr Ng added that although there is no way to stop this pandemic, the current measures aim to slow down the spread of the virus. And he hopes this will help students lead as normal a school life as possible.
- CNA/yt/ir
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