Safety Recommendations for Physical Exertion and Outdoor Activities during Air Pollution

1. Safety Recommendations for Physical Exertion and Outdoor Activities during Air Pollution PE Section, Education Bureau 5 October 2010

2. Content • EDB Circular No.9/2010(Revised) • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) • Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities • An overview of safety recommendations

3. Guiding Principles • Physical development is an essential learning experience for facilitating lifelong learning and whole-person development of students • During pre-primary stage, physical play helps young children build up physical fitnessand good habitsfor healthy growth • During Key Stage 1-4 , PE curriculum instills in students desirable attitude towards physical activities, habitual participation in sports, and an active and healthy lifestyle • Safe and effective PE lessons can be achieved by detailed planning, careful arrangement and thorough preparation • We should treat our students in a manner comparable with that of reasonable and prudent parents taking care of their children

4. Original Recommendations（EDBC003/1998 ） • If the API or forecast is within the range of 101 and 200: • to arrange for susceptible students (i.e. students with heart or respiratory illnesses) to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities • these susceptible students should be advised to refrain from participating in activities such as physical education lessons and sporting events in sports day / swimming gala to be held in the affected zone

5. New Recommendations（EDBC009/2010） • If the API or its forecast reaches 101-200: • schools should arrange for all students to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities • While schools may arrange for physical activities such as physical education (PE) lessons, games days, athletics meets, swimming galas and outdoor activities for their students, they should moderate the intensity and/or duration of such activities • When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eye irritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop physical activities and preferably stay indoors. They should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary • Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in the abovementioned activities, and should reduce the duration of their exposure to outdoor environment

6. Original Recommendations（EDBC003/1998 ） • When API or forecast is within the range of 201 and 500: • to arrange for all students to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities • Activities such as physical education lessons and sports day / swimming gala to be held in the affected zone should be suspended, cancelled or postponed

7. New Recommendations（EDBC009/2010） • If the API or its forecast exceeds 200: • schools should arrange for all students to avoid physical exertion and outdoor activities • Schools should suspend, cancel or postpone physical activities such as PE lessons (skill practice), games days, athletics meets, swimming galas and outdoor activities. • Schools may however arrange for theoretical learning of PE during PE lessons

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) • Application of the EDBC009/2010 • Access to API information • General / Roadside API • Students with heart or respiratory illnesses • Arrangements for Student Activities under API between 101 and 200 • Arrangements for API exceeding 200 • Outdoor Activities • Use of LCSD and HD Sports Facilities • Others Source： www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2912&langno=2

9. FAQ（No. 9） • Should PE lessons be arranged when API reaches 101 – 200? • Yes, provided that the PE teachers moderate the intensity and/or duration of PE lessons. For example, they may arrange for physical activities of moderate to light activity levels, introduce more rest breaks / time, reduce the duration of activities, etc. • Schools should encourage students to adopt nasal breathing and to drink adequate water before, during and after exercise. • When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eyeirritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary. • Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in practical sessions of PE lessons and should reduce their exposure to outdoor environment when API exceeds 100.

10. FAQ（No. 10） • Should games day, athletics meets, swimming galas, cross country or road running race, etc be arranged when API reaches 101 – 200? • Children should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities when API reaches 101 – 200. • Schools should moderate the intensity and/or duration of such activities. • For example, they may cancel long-distance events in athletics meets (1,500m or above) / swimming galas (200m or above), and reduce the number of heats leading to finals. • When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eyeirritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary. • Schools may also suspend, cancel or postpone cross-country, road-running race, etc. • Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in such activities when API exceeds 100; they may reduce the duration of their exposure to outdoor environment.

11. FAQ（No. 11） • Should schools organise ball games competitions when API reaches 101 – 200? • Yes, provided that the schools moderate the intensity and/or duration of such activities. For example, they may reduce the duration of the competitions, introduce more rest breaks / time, cancel extra-time after draws, etc. Schools may also encourage students to drink adequate water before, during and after exercise. • When students have symptoms associated with air pollution (e.g. eyeirritation, coughing, chest tightness, etc), they should stop participating in physical activities and preferably stay indoors; they should also seek medical advice from registered doctors, if necessary. • Students with heart or respiratory illnesses should not participate in ball games competitions when API exceeds 100.

12. FAQ（No. 12） • Should physical activities such as PE lessons (skills practice), games days, athletics meets, swimming galas, ball games competitions, etc be arranged when API exceeds 200? ﹖ • No. Schools are advised to suspend, cancel or postpone such activities when API exceeds 200 • Schools may arrange for theoretical learning of PE during PE lessons for their students

13. Theoretical learning of PE - Examples • ETV (Education Bureau) • Physical Education Website (HK EdCity) • EatSmart@school.hk（Department of Health） • Learning activities through school libraries • Physical fitness evaluation and analysis • First aid skills and knowledge • Issues in PE– discussion, debate, role-play… • Should HK bid to host the 2023 Asian Games? • …

14. Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities Source：www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2912&langno=2

15. Dos & Don'ts for Arranging School Activities

16. Activity arrangements under different weather conditions

17. An overview of safety recommendations

18. Other EDB reference materials • Safety Precautions in PE for HK Schools (1999)（under review） • Safety Precautions in School Games Day （EDBC004/2001） • Safety Precautions in School Swimming Galas, Lessons and Training （EDBC001/2000B） • Safety Precautions in School Athletic Meets, Lessons and Training （EDBC004/2000B） • Curriculum documents for PE Key Learning Area (KLA) • PE KLA Curriculum Guide (P1-S3) (2002) • PE KLA Curriculum and Assessment Guide (S4- 6) (2007) • Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum (2006) • Guide on Outdoor Activities (2008) • School Administration Guide (2010)

19. Thank You!