Wednesday 29 January 2020

Dear Parents and Families of Regent College,

I would like to acknowledge your concerns about the possibility of local transmission of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as initially identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The coronavirus mainly causes respiratory symptoms including cough and fever.

With the commencement of school  next week, I would like to reinforce the recommendations (current as of 28/01/20) as made by the Public Health Unit of the Western Australian Department of Health.

I encourage you to read the linked information from the Department of Health which I have paraphrased below.

It is vital that students and staff who have travelled to/from mainland China within 14 days (and particularly to Hubei province) and who have symptoms of illness, should not attend school. In this scenario, they are recommended to promptly seek medical assessment or utilise the Public Health Information Line, on telephone 1800 044 599 for further guidance.

In addition, if a student and/or family have already been contacted by Public Health authorities (ie because they have been in contact with someone with coronavirus), they should be medically cleared prior to returning to school.  

There appears to be some contradictory advice about whether a quarantine period is required for individuals who have travelled to affected areas but who are well and not known contacts of the virus. Mr Roger Cook, WA Health Minister has stated in a press conference yesterday that it is recommended that students remain at home.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-28/coronavirus-cases-cleared-in-western-australia/11908178

Given this advice, we recommend that all students who have travelled to mainland China or Hong Kong within 14 days should anticipate exclusion from school until 10-14 days has passed. However this will be reviewed based on updated information from the WA health authorities.  It is important that students and families (who have travelled overseas) are not excluded from studies unnecessarily.

The risk of local transmission remains low according to the Public Health authorities.

We would be grateful if affected students and families could contact us so that we can determine the impact of these restrictions on our student body and provide support as required.

In the meantime, we will be encouraging high levels of hygiene amongst students to help reduce the spread of illnesses within the College.

Kind regards

Derek Nicholls. Principal

REGENT COLLEGE
22 Colombo Street
Victoria Park WA 6100
T: +61 8 9470 4569  F: +61 8 9470 3898
E: admin@regentcollege.wa.edu.au  W:www.regentcollege.wa.edu.au