By The SUN
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| A Covid-19 cross-infection among students prompted the move to suspend face-to-face classes |
The Education Bureau (EDB) has ordered the suspension of on-campus classes and other activities at all secondary schools from Monday, Jan 24, until Feb. 7, after the Chinese New Year holidays. All face-to-face classes in kindergarten and primary schools were suspended earlier.
EDB followed this up with a statement requiring all teachers, staff and even visitors of kindergartens, primary and secondary as well as tutorial schools, to have at least the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine before being allowed entry into school premises starting on Feb. 24.
The orders came in the wake of a number of coronavirus cross-infections among students and a teacher at Delia Memorial School (Broadway) in Mei Foo, which spilled over to other schools such as David Li Kwok-Po College, Lantau International School and Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial School.
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An unrelated case involves a student at St Joseph Anglo-Chinese College was also found to have Covid-19 with the Delta variant.
A statement issued Thursday by the EDB said: "The epidemic situation in Hong Kong is getting severe recently with a number of confirmed cases of unknown sources. There have been invisible chains of transmission in the community. There have also been confirmed cases or preliminary confirmed cases identified in schools, resulting in compulsory testing and even quarantine of teachers and students. The EDB, after taking various factors into consideration, has made the above decision.
However, secondary six students preparing for the all-important HK DSE (Diploma of Secondary Education Examination) will be allowed to continue going to school for essential activities but for no more than half a day.
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Such an arrangement will also be allowed for students due to sit for public examinations this year.
In either case, the schools must put in place stringent anti-virus restrictions.
According to the statement, schools will remain open to look after students who do not have anyone to take care of them at home. Staff will also have to report for work to handle school affairs and answer parents' enquiries.
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With regards to the vaccination requirement, the EDB said all staff (including school bus operators, tuck shop operators) and visitors (parents, nannies and volunteers) in schools, except those exempted for medical reasons, will be required to have at least one vaccine dose.
Their vaccination records will be checked before they are allowed entry to school premises.
In addition, those who have received only one vaccine jab are required to get the second dose within eight weeks after February 24, that is, before Apr 21.
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Those who are exempted from vaccination will still be required to undergo testing for Covid-19 once every three days. Such tests will only econdbe through nasal and throat swabs, and not self-testing kits.
And while the vaccine bubble arrangement does not apply to students, those who are within the permitted age range are also urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others, and to have more opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities.
Schools have been told to immediately set up QR codes for "LeaveHomeSafe" (www.leavehomesafe.gov.hk/en/registration) to speed up the checking of vaccination records of everyone entering school premises starting on Feb. 24, except students who are exempted.
The school letter has been uploaded onto the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/sch-admin/admin/about-sch/diseases-prevention/edb_20220120_eng_a.pdf).
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