Pupils sent into quarantine

Pupils sent into quarantine

Children arrived back wearing masks

Pupils from 32 boarding schools who have arrived back in the UK from Hong Kong are being held in quarantine for 10 days amid fears of the deadly Sars virus.

The 155 children, aged between 10 and 19, were taken from Heathrow Airport by coach to field study and activity camps in Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

Private schools, including Eton College, have banned students who have visited Hong Kong, Singapore or Guangdong province in China, within 10 days of the start of term, because of fears they may have contracted the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) virus.

The Hong Kong Government has written to independent schools saying quarantine is "unnecessary" and unduly stressful and twice daily medical checks are sufficient.

A spokesman said: "While we appreciate the need for caution and protection, this discriminatory action will serve to stigmatise our students at schools, which is most undesirable from an educational point of view."

But the Boarding School Association has told schools to take any action they deem necessary to protect pupils in these "unprecedented and volatile circumstances".

Quarantining young people from Hong Kong is not the way forward

Dr Angus Nicholl
Public Health Laboratory

National director Adrian Underwood said: "This is an outbreak that has to be managed.

"There are no winners here.

"The timing is atrocious what with the onset of GCSE and A-level examinations.

"Easter's late and some of the exams are starting in the second week of May.

"I feel utter sympathy for those involved. It is a rotten situation."

The number we can do this for is limited, and we have had to call a halt, regrettably

Camps' owner, Duncan Hume

But Angus Nicholl, of the Public Health Laboratory, said: "Quarantining young people from Hong Kong is not the way forward.

"This is quite uncommon in young people and everybody who leaves Hong Kong is screened to make sure they are well.

"There is a risk of people developing Sars after they have come from Hong Kong and southern China, but that's more common in older people."

Eton headmaster Tony Little apologised to parents for the inconvenience but said the decision to exclude the children was "in the best interests of all our boys".

Meanwhile the headteacher at Harrogate Ladies' College is accompanying 40 girls into quarantine at the school.

They will be given work - but nothing will be removed from the quarantined area for 10 days.

More than 7,000 children are due back in the UK from destinations hit by the Sars virus.

Some are staying in France, Holland and Ireland.

Sars has infected thousands

Others are with their parents in hotels.

The camps' owner, Duncan Hume, told BBC News: "We have had a lot of parents 'phoning us saying, 'Please can you take my child,' - but the number we can do this for is limited, and we have had to call a halt, regrettably."

Pupils at the camps will be closely monitored by medical staff.

Schools are being advised to continue medical tests for 10 days after the quarantine period.

The pneumonia-like virus' symptoms include breathing difficulties, high fever, a sore throat and dry cough.

It has killed at least 162 people.

More than 3,000 have been infected.

But tourism bosses on the Isle of Wight have made a plea for would-be visitors not to be put off by the presence of the children.