Taiwan’s summer vacation is drawing to a close. A new school year is about to begin, and with COVID-19 under control in Taiwan, classes will go ahead as they normally do.
But the government is not taking any chances, and the new school year will bring with it new rules designed to keep COVID-19 at bay.
When Taiwan’s children go back to school next Monday, here’s what they can expect. New COVID-19 guidelines for schools say that students won’t have to wear a mask if they are in well-ventilated areas and maintain a proper social distance.
It’s a sign of Taiwan’s success in fighting off COVID-19. But Education Minister Pan Wen-chung says this doesn’t mean anyone’s letting down their guard.
Pan says when it comes to enclosed or crowded spaces and school buses, it’s masks on for everyone. The same goes for school kitchens.
And for at least the first two weeks of the school year, all students and teachers will have to have their temperatures checked at the start of each day.
Some guidelines from last semester are staying in place: one confirmed infection at a school, and the class involved is stopped for 14 days. Two or more infections and the whole school closes for 14 days.
Supplies like masks, thermometers, rubbing alcohol, and protective gear are being shipped to schools across Taiwan to ensure that everyone is ready for a safe, COVID-free new year.