Dear WIS families,
During the course of the week, I sent a number of students home, especially in our Primary School, who had become infected with pink eye.
Pink eye is the inflammation or infection of the transparent conjunctiva membrane that lines your eyeball and the inside of your eyelids. Typical symptoms include redness and a gritty sensation in your eye. Some people may experience itching, and many complain of a slight burning sensation. Often a discharge forms a crust on your eyelashes during the night, making it difficult to open the eye(s) in the morning.
Pink eye can be caused by bacteria and viruses, or by exposure to chemicals, or from allergies. A bacterial or viral infection can be very contagious, causing the infection to spread to the other eye or to the eyes of other people.
Any student or staff member presenting with the above symptoms needs to be sent home to start treatment immediately. Bacterial infections respond well to antibiotic drops, obtainable through a prescription from your doctor. The pharmacy can provide OTC treatment in the form of BROLENE drops for all forms of conjunctivitis. Once treatment has begun, coming back to school can resume in 2 - 3 days.
TOUCHING THE EYES IS TO BE AVOIDED. HANDWASHING must be enforced frequently.
And another reminder……
Since the start of the school year, under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, WIS has treated COVID-19 infections as seasonal flu. Children who come to school with cold & flu symptoms are sent home to avoid infecting others.
Right now many of our families are making travel plans which they do not want to see derailed by a Covid infection as they’re about to set off.
Please keep your child at home if he/she has cold/flu symptoms, a temperature, diarrhoea or vomiting, and of course symptoms of pink eye. (see above).
Sharon Gorelick
Nurse/Counsellor