Schools to prepare emergency masks for students, teachers: education authorities

Schools will prepare one mask for emergency use each day for every teacher and student after campuses reopen on Monday, education authorities told a press conference on Friday.

Lu Jing, director of the Shanghai Education Commission, said schools have worked out their own coronavirus control schemes under guidance from education authorities to ensure the safety and health of faculty and students. Measures carried out at schools will be stricter than other places, Lu added.

The guidance requires schools to prepare one mask for each student and teacher every day. Canteens, dorms, classrooms and toilets will be disinfected regularly. Schools with more than 100 students and teachers will have infrared imagers for temperature screening. Disinfectants will be put outside of classrooms for students to use.

Students will enter and leave campuses in batches at different time periods and wear masks in classrooms. Parents are not allowed to go into campuses unless there are special circumstances and they apply to do so in advance.

Lu said schools have also made plans to avoid risk of cross-infection during dining, such as providing packed meals or reservation schemes for using canteens.

Yun Minxia, director of the Minhang District education bureau, said that schools in the district are investigating the health conditions and travel history of faculty and students in the 14 days before returning to schools. All of them will have their identities, temperatures and health codes checked.

“Students, themselves or helped by their parents, have to submit their health codes and other materials to schools three days before returning,” she said. “Some schools also ask students’ family members to submit their health codes. We support their decision. All measures are taken to ensure everybody entering the campuses is healthy. Please understand and cooperate with us.”

She also reminded students to commute between homes and schools directly and not to go to crowded places or leave Shanghai.

“All faculty and students returning from Wuhan or other places in Hubei Province are required to complete 14 days of medical observation at home and pass virus tests before returning to school,” she said. “Those who have recovered from coronavirus pneumonia have to complete one month of health observation before returning.”

The bureau has launched a scheme to help faculty and students return to Shanghai after April 8 to receive nucleic acid tests.

“Some schools have applied for tests for their faculty and we have helped finish all the tests,” said Yun.

Yun said infrared imagers for temperature screening are installed at all middle and high schools, which will receive graduating students on Monday, and installation will finish at other schools before May 6.

The bureau has distributed more than 1.5 million masks to schools to ensure adequate supplies, and it also encourages parents to prepare masks for their children.