ILOILO City – Hua Siong College of Iloilo is taking steps to protect its student population, faculty and staff from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that as of yesterday already killed 132 people in China and made ill nearly 6,000 others.
In an order signed by Dr. Jose Barcelona, assistant principal, the following measures were to take effective immediately:
* All school personnel, learners and even parents who travelled to countries and areas with confirmed cases of the novel corona virus and who show symptoms of fever, sore throat, cough and runny nose should voluntarily quarantine themselves for 15 days before going back to school. They should present medical clearance from physicians and shall be subjected to further check-up by the school medical personnel prior to their return.
* Anyone who has not travelled but shows the aforementioned symptoms should also refrain from coming to school until medically cleared by a doctor.
* Starting Feb. 3, anyone found to have a body temperature of 37.5 and above through the school’s infrared thermometer would be asked to go home and seek medical advice.
Furthermore, relative to the Chinese New Year celebration yesterday that Hua Siong College of Iloilo hosted, the school declared Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 as rest days, thus no classes.
“Likewise, we want to make use of these days to sanitize the school, install infrared thermometers and employ other mitigating measures that would promote a safer and healthier environment for your children,” according to Barcelona.
Also yesterday, Hua Siong College of Iloilo belied a report it had 25 students who underwent self-quarantine after returning home from a trip to China.
There were, indeed, students who went to China to celebrate the Chinese New Year but those students have yet to return; they were advised to stay where they were, for the meantime.
In China yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called the virus a “devil” but said his government would defeat it.
An expert from the Chinese National Health Commission said it could take 10 more days for the outbreak to peak.
Like the similar SARS and influenza viruses, the new coronavirus is a particular risk for elderly people and those with pre-existing illnesses.
The virus is thought to have emerged from illegally traded wildlife at a seafood market in Wuhan City, the capital of Hubei province.
It causes severe acute respiratory infection and there is no specific cure or vaccine. A number of people, however, have recovered after treatment./PN
