The People’s Committee of Sơn La Province decided on Tuesday to give high school and college students a further two weeks off due to the coronavirus. — Photo thanhnien.vn

HÀ NỘI — The People’s Committee of Sơn La Province decided on Tuesday to give high school and college students a further two weeks off due to the coronavirus.  

The decision was made only a day after all students went back to school on Monday morning.

The students returned to school, together with millions of students in 59 provinces and cities nationwide, after an over-one-month break.

The move came after five Lao students studying at Sơn La Medical College showed symptoms of respiratory infections. The students have been quarantined in the school’s dormitory following instructions from the Ministry of Health.

Under a legal document signed by vice chairman of the committee, Phạm Văn Thủy, all local high schools and colleges must tighten medical supervision of students from Laos over 14 days.

Thủy said if any student showed symptoms that related to COVID-19, schools should inform their local medical health centres immediately.

Three local schools, where more than 1,500 Lao students were studying, were asked to strengthen dissemination of measures to prevent COVID-19 and closely monitor students, he added.

In response to the decision, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Hữu Độ said at a meeting on Wednesday in Hà Nội that the decision was appropriate.

“It aims to ensure the highest safety for local students,” he said.

Độ also said the ministry planned to issue a checklist for students to check their health at home and school by themselves. It was part of the programme to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In another move, an inspection team led by Độ checked on activities to prevent and fight COVID-19 in the northern province of Phú Thọ on Tuesday.

Đô instructed the education department not to be negligent and continue checking the sanitation and sterilisation of local schools and remind students to seriously follow instructions to prevent the spread of the disease.

In Hậu Giang Province, students at Vị Thanh High School are back after a minor incident on Monday when a student started coughing – the first day back after a long holiday.

Nguyễn Hoài Thúy Hằng, director of the provincial Education and Training Department, said that all students in the class were told to go home on Monday afternoon.

However, after the student was taken to the Vị Thanh City’s Health Centre and doctors concluded that he only had a sore throat, the students were allowed to return as scheduled. — VNS