Recently, “Notification on Further Strengthening COVID-19 Prevention and Control Work in Schools” has been released by School Epidemic Prevention and Control Office of Guangdong Provincial Command Center for COVID-19 Control and Prevention, requesting all the schools and local communities to strictly implement the prevention and control measures, provide guidance on prevention and control at all levels, and make early preparations for the start of the school year.

On 8 August 2021, Guangzhou Health Commission issued " An Updated Notification on Affairs concerning the start of the school year for Guangdong Schools ".

All teachers, students and staff are required to return to their places of residence 14 days before the start of the school year, reduce outings and gatherings, and carry out self-health management.

People are required to reduce trans-provincial travels and gatherings, not to visit medium- or high-risk areas, and not to leave the province or the country unless necessary.

From now on until the previously-scheduled start of the school year, students and teachers in medium- or high-risk areas must delay their return to school until the areas which they are in have been recognized as low-risk areas or until they have done their health monitoring in accordance with prevention and control requirements. A comprehensive screening targeted at local schools and communities will be conducted to screen out people who have a history of residence in or travel to medium- or high-risk areas within 14 days, close contacts of COVID-19, and people who have close contact with close contacts of COVID-19.

With the recent alert of domestic outbreaks in some provinces and cities in China, the global outbreak of Delta Variant continues to spread around the world, and confirmed cases and asymptomatic infections have emerged in several regions, the epidemic prevention and control is facing ever-changing and complex challenges. The pandemic risks have not yet been eliminated and prevention and control are of great urgency thus cannot be slacked. In order to effectively protect the health and safety of all faculty staff, students and parents, we are now launching an initiative to strengthen the school’s epidemic prevention and control work, and all faculty, students and parents are requested to cooperate in its implementation.

No.1

——

暑假期间非必要不出省,所有师生员工开学前14天务必返回居住地

Students, teachers and staff who are currently outside the province must return to their place of residence in Guangdong province by 16 August.

All students and teachers returning to Guangdong should strengthen personal protection, protect yourself from infection, arrange your trips cautiously and do not tarry in crowded places.

Teachers and students in medium- or high-risk areas are required to delay their return to school from now on until the start of the school year on 1 September (pay close attention to your school notice).

No.2

——

12岁以上无禁忌症学生

疫苗应接尽接

No.3

——

中高风险地区已返粤师生

按要求落实隔离

Students, teachers, and staff who have recently returned to Guangdong/ to school are required to actively cooperate with the implementation of health management regulations as follows：

01. Teachers, students and staff who have come (returned) to Guangdong from high-risk areas should strictly undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel.

02. Teachers, students and staff who have come (returned) to Guangdong from medium-risk areas with reported confirmed cases should strictly undergo a 14-day home quarantine.

03. Teachers, students and staff who have come (returned) to Guangdong from high-risk counties (districts) are required to carry out "7+7" health management (7-day home quarantine + 7-day self-health monitoring at home), and take nucleic acid tests on the 1st, the 3rd, the 7th and the 14th day.

04. Teachers, students and staff who have come (returned) to Guangdong from high-risk cities are requested to undergo "2 tests in 3 days" and 14 days of self-health monitoring at home.

05. Teachers, students and staff who have come (returned) to Guangdong from medium-risk cities with reported confirmed cases are required to undergo 1 nucleic acid test + 14 days of self-health monitoring.

06. All teachers, students and staff returning to Guangdong from other provinces are required to take 1 nucleic acid test upon arrival.

No.4

——

加强个人防护，减少外出聚集

保持社交距离。

Stay alert, avoid carelessness, actively cooperate with vaccinations, consciously abide by the epidemic prevention and control regulations, wear masks, wash hands frequently, gather less often, ventilate rooms more often and develop the habit of keeping "one-meter line" social distance. Reduce unnecessary outings, refrain from participating in gatherings and try to avoid drop-in visits. Visit crowded places less often, eat out less often and for less time, and avoid touching hands to public goods. Keep a proper distance from other tourists when using public transportation or visiting parks, and space out tables and chairs when dining out to avoid crowdedness. When coughing or sneezing, take care to cover up with your elbows or tissues, do not spit and do not litter used masks.

No.5

——

关注汛期安全，预防自然灾害危险，

不参加涉水活动。

Keep an eye on the weather conditions at your outing destination and spots along your route, especially on catastrophic weather warnings, and adjust your itinerary accordingly. Prevent risks such as landslides, rock falls, mudslides and flash floods in mountainous regions, river valleys and other areas. Avoid visiting areas that are not yet qualified to be open to tourists, do not swim in unsafe water areas and be cautious about participating in activities such as boating, rafting, snorkeling and deep diving in or near those areas as well.

No.6

——

做好健康监测，配合落实防控

养成规律作息。

Family members should avoid close contact with people who have respiratory symptoms (e.g. fever, coughing or sneezing, runny nose, etc.) as far as possible. If family members develop symptoms such as fever, dry cough, fatigue, loss of taste and smell, stuffy nose, runny nose, sore throat, myalgia, conjunctivitis, or diarrhoea, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Avoid using public transportation as far as possible when going for medical treatment. Surgical masks should be worn all the way to the hospital and throughout the medical treatment. 

Teachers, students and staff of primary and secondary schools and kindergartens should, in principle, carry out a 14-day self-monitored health status observation at home before the start of the school year. 

Print out in advance the Health Declaration Form & Student/Teacher/Staff Health & No History of Contact with Infections Declaration Form and record temperature twice a day for a consecutive 14 days. Students should submit the forms to their homeroom teachers on the first day of school. Parents are supposed to urge their kids to observe the various pandemic prevent and control regulations of the school and the community and to cooperate with the implementation. If you have family members living together who have a residence history of a medium- or high-risk area, a lockdown area or a partially lockdown area, or a history of contact with targeted people, please cooperate with the community (village or town) to carry out nucleic acid testing, risk screening and hygiene disinfection in accordance with the epidemic prevention requirements, and take the initiative to report to the community, workplace, and the child's school. Make scientific and practicable arrangements for your kids’ holiday and ensure that your kids get enough sleep. Supervise your kids when they plan their holiday activities, encourage them to do more outdoor activities and physical exercises to enhance their physical fitness and immunity. Control the time your kids spend using electronic devices, supervise your kids to ensure a certain amount of reading every day, and guide your kids to develop a good habit of protecting eyesight.

The school has also taken many measures and done a lot of work to prevent and control the epidemic. Strict controls are in place to ensure that outsiders and people who have recent travels to medium- or high-risk areas within 14 days are not allowed to enter the school. Personnel necessary for work at school are required to report to the school in advance. They will be allowed in after having their identity, health code and a recent 14-day activity report checked, and their body temperature taken. They should wear masks during their stay at school.

By doing your own prevention and control, you are taking responsibility for yourself and contributing to the nationwide pandemic prevention and control. We believe that with your support and understanding, we will be able to work together to implement the various measures for our regular pandemic prevention and control, to promote the healthy growth of our children and to have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable holiday together.