In response to the illness outbreak caused by a new coronavirus in China that has spread quickly across different continents, including Indonesia’s neighbouring countries namely Singapore, Cambodia, and Malaysia--Tzu Chi School started to run a regular health screening for students, teachers, and staff every morning on January 27, 2020, in order to make sure everyone is fit for the day and ensure the school's safe environment, especially for students. 

Aside from the regular morning health screening, on January 28, 2020, Tzu Chi School also welcomed dr Patria Wardana Yuswar from Rumah Sakit Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Cengkareng to promote awareness and prevention on the recently discovered virus. 

Dr Yuswar spoke before 114 parents, and highlighted that “It’s okay to be alert but be smart too.” He advised parents to stop panicking, and to only read information about the virus from reliable news outlets.

After a brief introduction on the history of coronavirus, which was also found in the case of SARS and MERS outbreak in year 2002 and 2012, dr Yuswar continued to remind parents to follow simple precautions to reduce the risk of infection:

• Frequently wash hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or water and soap
• Avoid contact with people who shows ill symptoms 
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth unless done with clean hands
• Avoid direct , unprotected contacts with wild animals or farm animals
• Live a healthy lifestyle to boost immunity such as eating nutritious food, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep