During that critical period, emotional support and immediate counseling were vital to the students who were vulnerable under the generally depressed and pessimistic social atmosphere. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, helplessness and hopelessness were most commonly seen among those who required attention. All students were advised to stay home. Being housebound and without much academic activities, the youngsters became bored, agitated and frustrated.

Hence, HKCS initiated an Atypical Vacation Counseling Hotline specially designed to service students and it continued its operation until all classes resumed in mid-May. Social workers were on duty to answer the calls and to help when needed. Among the callers, one half of them were primary students and 20% were parents. Reasons for using the hotline were mostly requests on guidelines for preventive measures when classes resume, methods to overcome boredom, answers for homework and general information related to SARS ( i.e. symptoms and knowledge on using face masks). The hotline undoubtedly served to help soothe anxieties and discourage people from taking unconstructive or unwise actions under the circumstance.

To gain a better understanding on how students might have felt and responded to SARS, our School Social Work Service conducted a telephone survey on 300 students (both primary and secondary) during the class suspension period.

The results revealed that during the class suspension period, most students suffered from insomnia and depression, which were also symptoms seen in people who were under stress. Fear of going back to school and not wearing their masks properly were two most commonly seen concerns in junior students. Boredom was the main difficulty seen among senior students. They also concerned if SARS would adversely affect their academic progress and if the downturn of the general economy would affect their families' financial situations.

Although most students worried about them being infected, 90% expressed that it would surely help them to deal with their feelings if there was someone to whom they could voice their concerns and fears.

While the classes gradually resumed, our School Social Work Service prepared a set of special life education teaching kit to be distributed to those primary and secondary schools that we had served, in order that they would be prepared to face their normal school life again after such 'Atypical' vacation.