With the uk in lockdown, all its schools closed and prime minister Boris Johnson having just returned to work after recovering from Covid-19, independent schools need to act decisively to ensure that they do not lose their international students for next year.
From my position in Hong Kong, I can see that while there is an interest in school places for the next academic year, there is also concern over the fact that the year begins in September. Is this still too soon?
Many parents are thinking about alternatives to UK schools, or are applying but also lining up other options as a backup plan.
They are not alone in their worries. UK parents are also concerned about the pressure that comes with the traditional September start.
It is true that September is months away, and I do think that the situation will be vastly improved by then. But parents need reassurance now.
Yes, Wuhan has been partially reopened after more than two months of isolation; however, we still do not really know what the future holds. In Hong Kong, everyone is still wearing masks. At present, I feel that UK schools really need to make a solid plan to avoid losing much of their international market for next year.
What most UK schools haven't fully considered is the fear factor here and across Asia. They don't completely appreciate the extent to which international parents are affected by what is happening with the National Health Service.
In the mainland, in particular, there are various negative news reports about the West, including the failings of the NHS and celebrities being turned away from hospitals and told to stay at home instead of receiving assistance from doctors.
Typically, international parents apply for their child's visas in June. This means that if things aren't looking too positive in the UK by June, they may choose a backup school option.
Although UK schools are always the number one choice for Hongkongers, on weighing up the situation, they may decide to go for an international school in Hong Kong or even the less desirable choice of a school in Australia that offers a February entry.
A standardized message from the top
What I think is needed is for the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference to meet and discuss what will happen if school cannot start in September.
They need to create not only a plan B but also a plan C, standardized across all conference member schools.
Some individual schools have taken action to reassure international parents already and this is wonderful, but a standardized message still needs to be sent to parents and clearly communicated.
It could be that schools will offer an October or November entry. It could be that they use online learning from September for a month or two. It could simply be that they offer deferred entry or a refund on parents' deposits if there are problems with students attending in September.
Whatever is decided, though, the sooner parents in Asia are reassured, the better.
Potential changes to school life
Finally, let me look beyond September at short-term changes that might end up being introduced to school life.
We know that the University of Oxford is currently working on a vaccine and let's all hope and pray that this can be developed as soon as possible.
However, if we must live in the world alongside the coronavirus then we should not be surprised to see that schools are having to compromise on certain features for a while.
They may, for example, temporarily stop interschool sports fixtures and stop pupils from going into nearby towns.
They may offer full boarding with no half terms. They may even encourage pupils to wear masks.
Schools will get through this pandemic – but they may well end up making a few changes in order to survive.