Institutions advised not to ban students from Sars areas

11.45am

The Education Ministry is advising educational institutions not to quarantine or exclude students returning from countries infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

Ministry national operations manager Jim Matheson said Sars was a serious disease and institution heads needed to keep themselves informed about it.

"However, at this stage our knowledge of the disease indicates that there is no basis for excluding or quarantining people without symptoms," he said in a statement today.

It was up to health authorities to make decisions about isolation procedures, not educational institutions.

Several schools had warned overseas students against returning home to Sars-risk countries for the holidays.

Some schools said they would impose a 10-day stand down period for those who did go home.

Mr Matheson said students returning to New Zealand from overseas after the holiday break would be screened at the airport.

"If a student is generally well, any risk of catching the disease is minimal," he said.

Latest information about Sars indicated it was not contagious during the incubation period and early stages.

Most people had been infected after contact with people already sick with Sars.

The syndrome has a 90 per cent recovery rate. About 10 per cent suffer more serious illness and about 4 per cent die.

Mr Matheson said it was unknown if a person remained infectious after recovering from Sars.

The ministry is advising education institutions to follow their own infectious diseases policies but also to:

* monitor boarding students regularly for 10 days after they return from Sars-risk areas;

* advise returning students and teachers to seek medical help if they are sick;

* inform the local medical officer of health of any suspected Sars cases;

* ensure hand washing facilities with soap, disposable towels or hand-driers are available;

* provide information about hygiene and Sars.

- NZPA