'No Plan Yet To Start Kindergarten Holidays Early'

The Centre for Health Protection's (CHP) principal medical and health officer Dr Au Ka-wing said on Monday that there is no plan to start the Chinese New Year holidays for kindergartens early this year, even as flu outbreaks are forcing the suspension of more nursery schools.

The CHP said the number of kindergartens and childcare centres shut this week because of flu outbreaks surged to 238 as of Saturday evening.

Au said he expects more kindergartens to be closed in the next week or two, but he stressed that they will not consider shutting all schools early for the Chinese New Year holiday unless the situation worsens dramatically.

Last year the authorities started the Lunar New Year holidays almost a week early, saying the move would help to break the chain of infections.

But some experts had warned that parents should be given more time to make alternative arrangements before any such early closure.

Au said children under six have been hit the hardest this winter because many have not been previously exposed to the H1 influenza strain that has been dominating this winter flu season.

He said this strain had not been so widespread in previous years.