School Update and Covid 19 information

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Dear Parents,

March is a busy month in Scoil Bhride as preparations for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Confirmation are ongoing. Food Dudes continues this week along with Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilge takes place this week in the school. Thank you to Ms Gannon and the Student Council who have lots of exciting activities “as Gaeilge” planned. Please do check the website every Wednesday for the phrase of the week at this link. http://scoilbhridens.ie/school-evaluation/

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation takes place this Thursday at 7pm in Kilbride church.

Food Dudes

The boys and girls are enjoying their fruit and vegetables that are provided daily with Food Dudes. Thank you to Ms Donnellan for coordinating this initiative.

Primary Language Curriculum

The school will close at 12pm this Friday for training in the Primary Language Curriculum.

Credit Union quiz

Our senior quiz team did us proud in last weeks regional quiz final. Well done to them.

Parent Council

Many thanks to our Parent Council who applied for a significant Mental Health grant for our school which was successful. This will mean the school can avail of well being lessons for all classes, exercise mats, books on wellbeing, and parent and child wellbeing workshops. These have been funded to a cost of almost €4000.  This is a fantastic opportunity for the school. We will be in contact with the details of these classes once arrangements are in place.

World Book Day

It was fantastic to see so many of our pupils dress as their favourite book character last week. Check out the photos that are on our website.

Covid 19

The concerning situation with Covid 19 is a constantly evolving one. The HSE website has information which I have copied below. I have checked with a consultant in the HSE about dying hand. Her advice is that parents wash hand towels that the pupils use in school daily at 60-degree heat. Please remind children constantly to wash hands and practice good sneeze and cough hygiene. Teachers are doing so on a daily basis to help support good hand hygiene.

Kind regards,

Julie Dowd

 

 

 

The following is taken directly from https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html

Overview

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Last updated: 10 March 2020 at 8.30am

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.

Symptoms of coronavirus

It can take up to 14 days for symptoms of coronavirus to appear.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus are:

If you have any of these symptoms and have been to a place where there is spread of coronavirus, read this advice.

When you may need to call a doctor

For most people who have these symptoms now, it is more likely to be an infection that is not coronavirus.

You only need to phone a doctor if you have symptoms and any of the following apply to you:

  • they are the type of symptoms you would usually contact a GP about
  • you have travelled from an affected area
  • you are a close contact of a confirmed case in Ireland – if you are, the Department of Public Health will contact you

Close contact

This is only a guide, but close contact can mean:

  • spending more than 15 minutes face-to-face contact within 2 metres of an infected person
  • living in the same house or shared accommodation as an infected person

Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should:

  • isolate themselves from other people – this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone
  • phone their GP, or emergency department
  • in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999

When you may need to be tested for coronavirus

You will need to be tested for coronavirus if you have symptoms and have in the last 14 days been:

Your doctor may also suggest you are tested for coronavirus if you have a severe lung infection.

If your doctor thinks that you need a test for coronavirus, they will tell you where the test will be done. They will also tell you when to expect your results.

Read this advice if you’ve been to a place with spread of coronavirus.

Risk of catching coronavirus in Ireland

There are confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Ireland.

The risk of catching coronavirus in Ireland is still low to moderate. This may change. However, most people may continue to go to work, school and other public places, as usual.

Follow the advice on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus.

If you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, a public health doctor will tell you this.

How coronavirus is spread

Coronavirus is spread in sneeze or cough droplets.

You could get the virus if you:

  • come into close contact with someone who has the virus and is coughing or sneezing
  • touch surfaces that someone who has the virus has coughed or sneezed on

As it’s a new illness, we do not know how easily the virus spreads from person to person. Spread is most likely from those who have symptoms.

The virus may only survive a few hours if someone who has it coughs or sneezes on a surface. Simple household disinfectants can kill the virus on surfaces. Clean the surface first and then use a disinfectant.

Follow this advice to protect yourself and others from coronavirus.

Packages from affected countries

You cannot get coronavirus from packages or food that has come from China or elsewhere.

There is no evidence that animals or animal products legally imported into the EU are a health risk due to coronavirus.

Children and coronavirus

Follow this advice if your child has recently travelled to a place with a spread of coronavirus.

Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and properly.

Read more advice on how to prevent your child from catching or spreading viral infections.

Treatment for coronavirus

There is no specific treatment for coronavirus. But many of the symptoms of the virus can be treated.

Supportive treatments, like oxygen therapy, can be given while your own body fights the virus. Life support can be used in extreme cases.

If you get the virus, your healthcare professional will advise treatment based on your symptoms.

Antibiotics do not work against coronavirus or any viruses. They only work against bacterial infections.

Vaccine

There is currently no vaccine to treat or protect against coronavirus.

The flu vaccine does not protect against coronavirus.

At-risk groups and coronavirus

We do not know for sure which groups are most at risk of complications if they catch coronavirus.

But it is likely you are more at risk if you catch coronavirus and:

  • are 60 years of age and over
  • have a long-term medical condition – for example, heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer
  • are pregnant

You should follow the advice on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus and other infections like flu.

Pets and coronavirus

There is no evidence that pets such as cats and dogs can catch or spread coronavirus.

Avoid all non-essential travel to China and Italy

Get up-to-date travel information from the Department of Foreign Affairs for travel advice on countries and regions affected by coronavirus.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised people to avoid all non-essential travel to China and Italy.

There is a high risk of getting coronavirus if you travel to a place where there is spread of the virus.

More information

COVID-19 updates – how the health service is responding to the global spread of coronavirus

Department of Foreign Affairs – updated travel information and advice

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre – information for health professionals

 

 

Julie

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