National authorities release guidelines for fall semester

The National Health Commission and the Ministry of Education on Thursday issued technical guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control during autumn and winter for colleges and universities, primary and secondary schools, kindergartens and nurseries to facilitate the reopening of schools in the fall semester.

The technical guidance requires students, faculty and staff members at schools from kindergarten to university level to have their temperature taken before entering campus after schools reopen. Large gatherings should be avoided unless necessary. If there is no notice from schools, overseas teachers and students should not go back to campus.

Primary and secondary schools will implement partially-enclosed management after reopening, and unrelated visitors will not be permitted entry.

Parents dropping off or picking up children are not allowed to enter kindergartens and nurseries. For colleges and universities, people who send the students back to school are also advised to avoid entering campus. Colleges and universities should strengthen checking, registration and management of food and parcel delivery workers entering campus, and designate proper areas for collection and delivery of parcels.

Faculty and staff at primary and secondary schools, conditions permitting, are encouraged to take nucleic acid tests on a voluntary basis before the semester begins. Students should always bring a disposable medical mask, or a mask capable of equivalent protection. Students in low-risk areas do not need to wear masks at school.

Students at colleges and universities should not return to campus before the date given by the school. College students, faculty and staff members from medium- and high-risk areas have to provide reports of a nucleic acid test taken within seven days before returning to campus.