The Education and Youth Affairs (DSEJ) yesterday urged local schools, private tutorial centres and continuing education institutions to remain “highly” vigilant against the COVID-19 threat and “not to let their guard down”, in the wake of a number of COVID-19 cases that have been newly confirmed in schools in Hong Kong.
A DSEJ statement said that the schools and other education institutions should always pay close attention to the government’s latest COVID-19 information and strictly carry out its COVID-19 prevention and control measures, in order to prevent school and community outbreaks of the novel coronavirus disease.
Firstly, the schools and education institutions should implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures strictly in line with the official guidelines issued by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Health Bureau (SSM), and ensure the implementation of their infection disease notification mechanisms, the statement said.
Secondly, the statement said, teachers and other staff members, pupils and their parents should maintain personal hygiene, such as by regularly washing their hands with soap and water or by cleaning their hands with alcohol gel. They should avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes before washing their hands. They are advised not to join crowds of people. They should often clean and disinfect their home and workplace, particularly items and surfaces frequently touched by hands.
Thirdly, schools should carry out COVID-19 prevention and control measures in strict accordance with the government’s official guidelines when organising activities for their teachers and pupils, in which case participants should maintain personal hygiene and properly carry out their protection measures.
Fourthly, the statement urged schools to regularly clean and disinfect their campuses thoroughly, maintain good ventilation in teaching areas and spaces for various other activities. School staff should also regularly examine their body temperature detection equipment to ensure their normal operation all the time.
Fifthly, if schools discover that participants in an activity have come down with a fever or any other respiratory symptoms, they should tell the participants to immediately quit the activity, wear a facemask (if not wearing) and seek medical treatment.
Sixthly, schools should always maintain close communication with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, and release correct COVID-19 information to their teachers and other staff members, pupils and their parents.
According to Hong Kong media reports, a number of pupils were yesterday diagnosed with the novel coronavirus disease, and the parents of several pupils tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the local government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre said in a statement last night that it was paying close attention to the situation in which Hong Kong confirmed “many” new local COVID-19 cases yesterday, pledging that it will constantly assess its risk to Macau.
The centre’s statement underlined that strict quarantine measures have always been carried out at Macau’s various border checkpoints, pointing out that all arrivals who have been in Hong Kong within the 14 days prior to their entry into Macau must undergo 14 days of quarantine and medical observation at one of the government’s “quarantine hotels”, therefore the movement of people between the two cities has been “extremely low”.
The statement pledged that the Macau government will remain vigilant against the COVID-19 threat and strengthen its COVID-19 prevention and control measures. The statement urged residents to maintain personal hygiene, regularly wash their hands, wear a facemask, stick to social distancing and avoid crowds.
