Beijing education authorities respond swiftly to outbreak

The capital's education authorities have taken a quick response to the COVID-19 outbreak, requiring all students to return home and study online, a senior official said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Li Yi, spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, said at the conference all students in the city have resumed online study, and Q&A services for third-grade students of junior and senior high schools had been available since Wednesday.

The city offered online Q&A services to these third-graders from Feb 17 to May 31, with nearly 111,000 questions answered for the students, he said.

Notably, entry exams for high schools and colleges in Beijing haven't been postponed, despite recent spikes in locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in the capital.

For epidemic control, the education department also requires school staff and students to report their health conditions every day, especially third-graders at junior and senior high schools and their family members.

Their family members and school staff members, who will monitor the college entrance examination in early July, are suggested to enhance self-protection and reduce outdoor activities to avoid the possibility of cross-infection.

Li Lei contributed to the story