Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen has approved a proposal by the municipal Department of Education and Training to allow students in 1, 8 and 9 to return for face-to-face learning from December 6 with proper precautions in place to keep them safe and healthy throughout the school year. However, primary schools will not offer day-boarding for year 1 pupils on their first week of school in order to allow them to become acquainted with their classmates and their new school.

The decision was made at a meeting held late afternoon on Monday, November 29, and the event was attended by members of the municipal Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, officials from health and education sectors along with relevant agencies. 

Vice Chairwoman Yen announced that students in grades 1, 8, 9 across Da Nang are set to go back to school from December 6 under the municipal government’s plan during her meeting with members of the municipal Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on Monday. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Mrs Yen highlighted the need to implement mitigation strategies during all school-related activities to successfully reopen schools and keep them open in line with the current direction from the municipal government. She also underscored the necessity to monitor the health of all students, especially kids, after they return to in-person classes in order to detect suspect cases early and take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The municipal administration also encouraged the education sector to allow a number of childcare facilities and nurseries that are eligible for safely reopening to resume with face-to-face teaching on campus.

34 wards and communes across Da Nang are currently under COVID-19 alert level 1 while 21 others are listed at level 2 and only one is under alert level 3 restrictions.

Amid the complex developments of COVID-19, Da Nang has recorded dozens of new COVID-19 cases in recent days, with many community cases from unknown sources, Mrs Yen said.

Vice Chairwoman stressed the need for the city to stay at high alert against COVID-19, and continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines to tackle the virus.

She asked authorities at local level to take proactive action and adopt the most effective measures to suppress the resurgence of local outbreaks.

Mrs Yen noted that many primary close contacts have been missed and this could lead even greater numbers of unknown cases spreading the virus, and develop potential outbreaks. Missed primary close contacts pose great threat to our community, especially crowded places, she emphasized. 

She urged tracers to ramp up their efforts to conduct thorough contact tracing of each confirmed case to make sure all COVID-19 contacts are traced in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. The heed must be paid to enhancing compliance monitoring of COVID-19 rules in lockdown areas, as well as keeping a close watch on primary close contacts that are self-isolating at home.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L