Health Centre News

By Nurse Cecile

Returning To School

With the gradual return to school we have enjoyed seeing Prep to Grade 2 children learning and interacting with others on school grounds.

We will continue to help support you, the parents and carers of our students during the return to school phases due to Covid-19. Brighton Primary School continues to work under the guidelines of the Chief Health Officer and Department of Education in ensuring that we provide a safe learning and working environment for all our students and staff.

We ALL have an important and ongoing role to play in stopping the spread of Covid-19 ensuring our school is safe for everyone.

IMPORTANT:

Staff/Children/Parents who are feeling unwell for any reason must not attend school.
If your child is sick, please seek medical review if there are cold and flu like symptoms.
If your child is tested for Coronavirus - please forward results to the School Nurse to have on our records. Contact the school immediately if these results are positive.

General Hygiene Practices At School

A school cleaner is on site every day from 10am to 4pm. All classrooms, work spaces and high contact areas are cleaned during this time. Play equipment is also cleaned twice a day.
Classrooms have disinfectant stored in each room allowing teachers to clean in between routine cleaning when it is required
Hand sanitiser is available in all areas of the school
Regular hand hygiene has become a routine for children and staff in our daily activities. Where sinks are available in the classroom, hand washing is being used as the preferable way in attending hand hygiene
Children can bring their own hand sanitiser to school but it must be >60%alcohol based to be effective. Please label it for your child so it can be kept on their desk.
We are minimising the use of shared equipment in classrooms and around the school to prevent contact spread of viruses
Where possible, classroom windows are open to ensure fresh air flow. Some classes may even be held outside when appropriate, so make sure your child has extra clothing in their bag in case it is needed

Caring for Your Child with Asthma during the Covid-19 Pandemic:

Keep taking care of your child’s asthma and ensure you visit your doctor to obtain an up to date asthma action plan
Keeping your child’s lungs healthy is important, that way, if an infection happens your child is not struggling with affected lungs prior to the infection. This results in a better outcome.
If your child is having a flare up of asthma make sure you get a medical review if there is no response to prescribed treatment
Ensure your child is taking their medication effectively. Spacers have proved to be a better way of getting into the lower bases of the lungs and being more effective.
Continue with preventative medicine if prescribed. This is very important to ensure the lungs remain as healthy as they can.
Help your child avoid their asthma triggers - e.g. if pollen is a trigger make sure you are checking the air quality before they go outside.
Make sure that you provide ventolin and spacer to the school if prescribed along with an up to date asthma action plan.
If your child becomes unwell at school, the nurse will contact you so you can take them home and seek medical review if indicated.

Helpful Links:

Video - How to use a Spacer and Puffer - Four breaths technique

Reassurance For Your Child That We Are Keeping School Safe

Children have settled back into school well and it is wonderful to see how happy they are. We look forward to having all students back at school as full return to school takes place on Tuesday 9th June.
Protect your child’s wellbeing at this time. Reassure them that being worried is normal and take time to talk to them, hear them, and validate their concerns.
- Reinforce to them that adults are caring and are working together to ensure their school environment is safe
We have been including hygiene in our discussions and our routines back at school in a supportive way making children feel comfortable and safe
Keep children informed so they know what to do to prevent the spread of infections as this gives them control and empowers them to make a difference. Already children are becoming much more aware of the importance of hand and respiratory hygiene and they are incorporating it into their personal hygiene without difficulty. Reminding children of these practices is so important to help keep us all safe

Further tips which parents may find helpful are provided here by the DET:

Talking to your child about coronavirus (COVID-19)