21 April 2022
Dear Parents and Students,
Since the completion of the "special holiday", students have been attending online classes and will resume face-to-face classes on 3 May. Meanwhile, Secondary 6 students are going to take the HKDSE. May God protect them from infection and may they try their best with no regrets. May God also give love and peace to our students so that they know they are not alone. Give them the wisdom and faith needed to rely on Him.
Going back to January 24, there were nearly 100 confirmed infected cases at the beginning of the 5th wave of the pandemic, and teachers and students were immediately informed to switch to online classes. By February 28, the pandemic had reached its peak, and the number of daily infected cases exceeded 50,000. After that, the Education Bureau decided to release students earlier by starting a "special holiday". It really was a roller coaster. On the eve of the opening of the HKDSE on April 21, the number of confirmed cases dropped to around 600, but more than 8,000 lives had been taken by then. Thinking back to January, the 100 cases seemed like too many, but after 50,000 confirmed cases a day and 8,000 lives taken from us, I have to learn that blessing is not inevitable. Yes, we have been through the three-month roller coaster-like experience with restrictions, financial difficulties, and physical and mental exhaustion, but we have to praise God for his preparation, surpassing what people imagined and asked for. Hundreds of cases are still not to be taken lightly, but compared with more than 50,000 cases at the peak, we really need to be grateful. Thank God for his guidance, comfort and hope in times of difficulty.
The results of the fight against the epidemic have not come easily. Although there is still a long way to go before the dynamic reset, I have to thank our country, the Chief Executive and the government, medical workers, voluntary organisations, frontline workers and volunteers for their selfless efforts, as well as the joint efforts and concerted efforts of our Hong Kong people. Now that the baton is in the hands of the education sector, "letting students return to normal campus life in a safe environment" is our common goal. Mr. John Lee, the chief executive candidate, emphasized a "result-oriented" approach. Recently, there have been some cases of primary school resumption. We must not take it lightly, and we must not be careless about the work arrangements for the resumption of classes and the HKDSE. Otherwise, the health of students and staff will be endangered. Therefore, we must take this as the goal and be well-organized. I hope that parents and students will review the instructions for the resumption of classes that were sent out a few days ago. Get up early every day to prepare for a rapid test, upload it to eClass and take your temperature. Then return to school if everything is normal. This responsible behaviour is for yourself, teachers and other students. Continue to wear masks, wash hands frequently, maintain social distancing, and more importantly, get vaccinated. If the student is a recovered COVID-19 patient and has submitted relevant certificates to the school (e.g. quarantine order, medical certificate or QR code for recovery records, etc.), a rapid antigen test (except those with symptoms) is not required as above. However, you still need to fill in your daily body temperature in eClass.
Due to the high transmissibility of Omicron, we can’t fight the epidemic if students have not been vaccinated, or only have one shot (whether BioNTech or Sinovac). Parents, please consider the health of your daughter and the safety of others in school. I hope that parents will arrange a second dose of the vaccination for their daughter, and even suggest additional doses of vaccination. The Education Bureau’s updated requirements on April 11, 2022 indicate that 90% or more of the school population must been vaccinated for more than 14 days with two doses of the vaccine (BioNTech or Sinovac) to resume classes full-time or to participate in afternoon extracurricular activities. We urge parents and students to cooperate fully and strive for the goal of enjoying a whole-person education for students. If the student has been infected with Covid, the number of doses required will be one less than the general population. For example, a recovered student who received the first dose of the vaccine at least 14 days before infection is considered to have completed two doses of the vaccine. Students who have never been vaccinated can be vaccinated 30 days after recovery. Two doses of the vaccine are considered to have been administered when completed.
I hope that everyone will fight the epidemic together and protect your family, neighbours and society. It is God's commandment to "love your neighbour as yourself".
Best regards,
Constance Cheung
Principal |
