Education authorities improve college campus' COVID-19 prevention protocols

Education authorities pledged to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 on campuses in a more "scientific, precise and humane" style as winter nears with potential outbreaks, an official said on Saturday.

The remarks came as China ramped up efforts to fight bureaucracy and over-simplicity in containing novel coronavirus outbreaks.

Liu Peijun, deputy director of the education ministry's sports, health and art division, said the schools had adjusted control measures in accordance with the new developments since the autumn semester which began in September, and the situation on campus so far was "generally under control".

The latest versions of COVID-19 control plans will be strictly implemented on campus, and school authorities can neither simply seal their campus altogether in case of an outbreak, nor can they sit idly by and let the virus spread unimpeded, he told a news conference held by the National Health Commission in Beijing.

"Schools should try their utmost to ensure in-person classes, but when online-teaching become necessary, campus officials need to ensure e-classes' quality and minimize the outbreak's impact on learning," he said.

Liu noted that schools will guarantee the supply of living necessities and other supplies on campus, and focus on areas such as food price, dormitory conditions, health services and package delivery, among others.

Schools will also make channels unobstructed for teachers and students to lodge complaints, and respond to such complaints as soon as possible.

"Meanwhile, we will direct them to understand and cooperate with control measures and overcome the difficulties in unity," the official said.

The ministry on Saturday also unveiled a website (https://hudong.moe.gov.cn/siju_jbz/gxsyreportform.jsp) and a hotline (010-66096146) to report misconducts relating to COVID-19 control on college campuses.

As winter nears, Liu said schools will step up scrutiny for incomers' health data and improve management at key places such as classrooms, the canteen and dormitories in an effort to prevent outbreaks.

Efforts will also be made to avoid the outbreaks of other diseases such as the flu, chickenpox and measles by improving ventilation and food safety.