Official Dispatch 5689/SYT-NVY 2021 Da Nang City COVID-19 prevention and control at schools when students return to schools

To:

- The Department of Education and Training;

- The Department of Information and Communications;

- People's Committees of districts;

- Divisions of Education and Training of districts;

- Da Nang-based schools.

Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021, on promulgating the Interim Regulation on “safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic”; 

Pursuant to the Ministry of Health's Official Dispatch No. 1244/BYT-MT dated March 13, 2020, on guiding the handling of cases with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath at schools, Official Dispatch No. 7020/BYT-MT dated August 25, 2021, on quarantine for children for COVID-19 prevention and control, Official Dispatch No. 6666/BYT-MT dated August 16, 2021, on guiding the COVID-19 prevention and control at agencies and units; 

Pursuant to the Official Dispatch No. 696/BGDDT-GDTC dated March 4, 2020 of the Ministry of Education and Training on guiding the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools, Official Dispatch No. 4726/BGDDT-GDTC dated October 15, 2021 of the Ministry of Education and Training on organizing the on-site teaching at education institutions; 

Pursuant to the Official Dispatch No. 7509/UBND-KGVX dated November 8, 2021 of the People's Committee of Da Nang City, on the preparation of conditions for organizing the on-site teaching at education and training institutions​​ in the city. 

In order to ensure safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control upon restarting the on-site teaching, the Department of Health requests agencies, units and schools to effectively coordinate in the implementation of the plan to ensure safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools when students return to schools (enclosed herewith). Any difficulties and problems arising in the course of implementation shall be reported to the Department of Health for consideration and settlement, aiming to ensure the effectiveness of disease prevention and control in the city. 

Sincerely./.

For the Director

The Deputy Director

NGUYEN TIEN HONG

THE PLAN TO ENSURE SAFETY IN COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL AT SCHOOLS WHEN STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOLS

(Issued together with the Department of Health's Official Dispatch No. 5689/SYT-NVY dated November 19, 2021)

I. CONTENTS

1. Organizing the on-site teaching at schools on basis of classification, assessment and determination of pandemic risk levels at each locality

Based on the classification, assessment and determination of pandemic risk levels by commune-level or district-level or city-level administrative unit, deciding to organize the on-site teaching at schools in accordance with the pandemic control situation in each area according to the principle that students in areas where the pandemic is put under control may go back to schools. 

a) With regard to localities of level-1 pandemic risk (low risk): Organizing on-site teaching; consolidating conditions on information technology infrastructure, equipment, and means to be poised to transit to other teaching forms due to the complicated pandemic development.

b) With regard to localities of level-2 or level-3 pandemic risk (medium and high risk):

Based on the actual conditions, localities shall decide on teaching plans applicable for every class or grade. With regard to localities of level-3 pandemic risk, on-site teaching shall be prioritized for the fifth grade, ninth grade, and twelfth grade for general education; after each week, education institutions shall assess the safety and consult the local Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to gradually increase the number of students; the remaining classes shall organize the online teaching or teaching by television. 

c) With regard to localities of level-4 pandemic risk (very high risk):

Online teaching, teaching by television, and self-learning with homework, etc. shall be organized based on the actual situations and the implementation progress of the school year plan in localities. For early childhood education, children shall come to schools. For general education and continuing education, localities shall organize the online teaching and teaching by television, in which teachers shall guide student parents to assist and support their children to learn and play at home according to appropriate forms; coordinate with parents to guide students to use equipment serving the online learning and learning by television effectively and safely; formulate a plan to transfer learning materials to students who lack equipment for online learning or learning by television. 

Schools shall perform the management and administration of activities; regularly monitor and strictly manage the online teaching and learning of teachers and students. 

2. Providing guidelines on measures to ensure safety and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic at schools

 Following the guidelines specified in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 on ensuring safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools (Issued together with the Official Dispatch No. 4726/BGDDT-GDTC dated October 15, 2021 of the Ministry of Education and Training).

a) Before students return to schools

Ensuring that there is adequate hygienic drinking water and each student must have a drinking cup and personal belongings. 

Arranging and ensuring adequate hand-washing stations with clean water and soap/hand sanitizer solution, clean toilets and equipment for school hygiene. 

Training staff and teachers on disease prevention and control, personal hygiene, environmental hygiene and determination of suspected cases of COVID-19.

Organizing propaganda and guiding on measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic, school health work for students, students' parents, administrators, teachers and staff through electronic contact books, COVID-19 prevention handbook system, school health work manuals or existing information systems of schools.

Asking students, administrators, teachers and staff for monitoring their health at home and wearing facemasks on the way to schools. 

Cleaning and disinfecting schools, school supplies and transportation (if any) in according with the instructions of the health sector. 

Consolidating the standing department on school health work; arranging temporary quarantine rooms and health rooms in accordance with regulations, and effectively organizing school psychology counselling. 

b) When students return to schools

Arranging persons to pick up and deliver students at school gates, not allowing students' parents to enter into schools.

Opening doors for ventilation, using fans and limiting the use of air conditioners. If using air conditioners, the doors must be opened at the end of lessons for ventilation.

Time, number of students and suspension of activities shall comply with local guidelines based on epidemiological and risk factors.

Providing regulations and instructions for students to wash/sanitize their hands; cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and do not spit indiscriminately; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; do not share personal belongings; dump garbage at prescribed places; limit contact between students in different classes.

If detecting students or teachers with symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, taking them to medical rooms immediately for examination, monitoring and quarantine; providing facemasks and instructing the way to properly wear facemasks for such persons, coordinating with students' parents to implement contact tracing, and consult with local health agencies.

Assigning staff to inspect and supervise the disease prevention and control as prescribed in the Official Dispatch No. 6666/BYT-MT dated August 16, 2021 and the Decision No. 4800/QD-BYT dated October 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Health, on promulgating the Interim Guidance for implementation of the Government’s Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP.

 c) When students finish lessons

Asking students, administrators, teachers and staff to keep a safe distance and wear facemasks when returning home from school.

Ensuring that students are picked up at school gates (parents are not allowed to enter school campus). 

d) Environmental cleaning and disinfection

Before students return to school: Cleaning the environment and disinfecting at least once, prioritizing disinfecting by wiping and washing; disinfecting with common cleaning agents such as all-purpose cleaners or disinfectant solutions containing 0.05-0.1% active chlorine to wipe contact surfaces or floors; using 70% alcohol to clean electronic equipment surfaces that are susceptible to chemical corrosion or have a small cross-section.

When students return to school: disinfecting tables and chairs, door handles, stair handrails, handrails, elevator buttons (twice a day); disinfecting floors, classrooms, function rooms, restrooms, etc. (once a day or when necessary); disinfecting educational equipment after each lesson or when found dirty; disinfecting door handles, handrails, seats, windows, floor, etc. of means of transportation after each time of picking up and dropping off students (if required); limiting the use of toys and learning tools made of non-sterile materials; arranging enough garbage containers, collecting and processing garbage on a daily basis.

3. Procedures for handling confirmed cases or suspected cases of COVID-19 at schools

Schools shall develop an appropriate education plan and organization plan for students to return to schools, consult with the local Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control for review and approval before implementation.

a) In cases of detecting a suspected case of COVID-19 at school

If a person at school develops at least two of the following symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, body aches - fatigue - chills, change in or loss of taste or smell:

Notifying the education institution’s Head of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and COVID-19 Safety Team, and the student’s parents.

Providing facemasks and instructions on how to properly wear facemasks; asking the person to limit contact with people around and avoid close contact less than 02 meters with others.

Notifying the assigned forces to divide the passage from the area of detecting the suspected case to the temporary quarantine room.

Instructing the suspected case of infection to move along the routed passage to the temporary quarantine room, limit movement by elevator or arrange a separate elevator and disinfect such elevator immediately after use in accordance with regulations.

School health officials shall perform a rapid antigen test for the suspected case. If positive, repeat the second time. If the second time is also positive, then handling such case in accordance with section 3b.

If negative, such case may go home and monitor symptoms or go to a health establishment for examination and treatment.

Not using public transport to take the suspected case to health establishments.

b) In cases of detecting a case positive with COVID-19 (via Realtime RT - PCR test or rapid antigen test)

Temporarily blockading part or all of the school, depending on the confirmed case’s movement and exposure; notifying and coordinating with the local health station to implement disease prevention and control measures; immediately separate F0 case from others for home quarantine and treatment (if the City People's Committee has approved the plan on home-based caring and treatment of F0 cases) or at a health establishment as prescribed.

Immediately reviewing all students, teachers and employees to detect cases who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 infection at school and in community. Organizing the temporary isolation of suspected cases at school and taking single samples in a separate area for COVID-19 testing. 

Tracing all F1 cases at school as well as in community:

At schools: Immediately separating F1 cases into a temporary isolation area in accordance with regulations; all students and teachers in the same class with F0 case are considered F1 cases; taking single samples of F1 cases to conduct COVID-19 testing for the first time. 

Regarding officials, teachers and students who are F1 cases in community, they shall be asked to stay at the place of residence and immediately notify the local health establishment for handling. 

Immediately taking samples of all students, teachers and employees to conduct rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 (Taking single samples for those who are showing symptoms of infection and F1 cases; and taking pooled samples with 5-10 samples per pool for others). 

Tracing and taking samples of F2 cases if their F1 cases are at high risk of being positive for COVID-19. Instructing F2 cases to self-quarantine at home or their place of residence pending for the test results of F1 cases. If F1 cases are negative, F2 cases may terminate their quarantine.

+ While pending for test results: students, teachers and employees present at school are required to stay in place; 

+ Strictly implementing infection prevention and control measures due to the high risk of infection during the temporary blockade: persons in a class shall only stay in that class, self-manage and adhere to the 5K rules. 

All students, teachers and employees who are F1 cases shall be quarantined, tested, and monitored for health in accordance with current regulations of the Ministry of Health and the People's Committee of Da Nang city. 

c) In cases of detecting F1 cases at school

Education institutions shall continue the on-site teaching while the class of F1 cases shall apply the online teaching. 

Making a list of persons in close contact with F1 cases (F2 cases); 

All teachers and students of such class shall be considered F2 cases and temporarily quarantined without going to school until the first test results of F1 cases are available. If the test results of F1 cases are negative, F2 cases are not required to self-quarantine; school and class activities get back to normal. 

If F1 cases become F0 cases, the handling shall comply with Point b, Section 3, Part I of this Plan.

d) Requirements for temporary quarantine rooms at school

Having self-contained toilet works. 

Arranging hand-washing stations with soap/hand sanitizer for convenient use at door areas.

Ensuring infection prevention and control by implementing hygienic ventilation, daily cleaning floors, door handles and surfaces of objects in rooms with disinfectant solutions or common detergents, and cleaning toilets.

Having waste containers with lids (Collecting used facemasks, towels, tissues of quarantined persons into waste containers. With regard to cases of epidemiological contact, the above-mentioned wastes shall be collected, transported and treated as infectious wastes; other household wastes shall be collected into normal waste containers).

 Ensuring basic medical equipment as prescribed. 

There are rules in quarantine areas: limiting the access of unauthorized persons to quarantine areas; ensuring security and safety; not organizing concentrated meals in quarantine areas; providing meals for quarantined persons and ensuring food safety.

II. COORDINATION IN ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Department of Health

a) Assigning the Center for Disease Control

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Political and Ideological Division, the Department of Education and Training, universities, colleges, professional secondary schools, vocational schools, high schools with multiple education levels, continuing education centers in strengthening the inspection and supervision, supporting and providing specialized guidance for schools to ensure disease prevention and control conditions and measures as prescribed. To cooperate with education institutions in organizing training and disseminating measures, regulations and guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and control.

- To develop a plan to prioritize vaccination for officials, teachers and students in accordance with regulations. 

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with health centers of districts, in guiding the plan to ensure safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools when students return to schools.

- To assign staff in charge of coordinating with education institutions the COVID-19 prevention and control in the city.

- To organize training for health centers of districts in COVID-19 prevention and control at schools in the city. 

b) Assigning health centers of districts

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the City’s Center for Disease Control, Divisions of Education and Training, early childhood education institution, primary and secondary schools, in strengthening the inspection and supervision, supporting and providing specialized guidance for schools to ensure disease prevention and control conditions and measures as prescribed. To cooperate with education institutions in disseminating measures, regulations and guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and control.

- To coordinate with schools in the city to organize training and provide guidance for health establishments, medical staff, teachers and school health staff on disease prevention and control, handling of COVID-19 cases, and sampling for rapid antigen test for SARS-COV-2. 

- To assign staff in charge of assisting Divisions of Education and Training of districts in implementing the COVID-19 prevention and control measures at schools. 

2. The Department of Education and Training

a) Directing and providing guidance on the plan to restart the on-site learning for trainees and students for Divisions of Education and Training of districts and schools in the city. 

b) Directing education institutions within their management and asking schools and education institutions in the city to coordinate effectively implementing this plan. 

c) Cooperating with the Department of Health in formulating a plan to prioritize vaccination for officials, teachers and students in accordance with regulations. 

3. The Department of Information and Communications

a) Coordinating with the Department of Education and Training in propagating and applying information technology in the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools. 

b) Coordinating with local media agencies and units in strengthening communication to raise awareness for parents, students, and schools to ensure safety in the disease prevention and control at schools when students return to schools. 

4. People's Committees of districts

Directing Divisions of Education and Training, Divisions of Health and Health Centers:

a) To guide schools in the city in implementing the plan to ensure safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control and the procedures for handling upon detecting COVID-19 cases at schools;  timely support to handle F0 or F1 cases arising at schools in accordance with regulations. 

b) To inspect and supervise the observance of regulations on disease prevention and control at schools; closely monitor the pandemic situation in local schools for timely handling. 

5. Divisions of Education and Training of districts

a) Deploying the plan to units under their management; urging, inspecting and asking schools to strictly implement the plan.

b) Advising People's Committees of districts to support funds for schools to purchase medical equipment and tools for the COVID-19 prevention and control, and effectively coordinate in the disease prevention and control.

c) Coordinating with Divisions of Health as well as health centers of districts in developing a plan to prioritize vaccination for officials, teachers and students in accordance with regulations. 

d) Continuing to implement the handbook on COVID-19 prevention and control in community in the new normal regarding COVID-19 prevention and control at schools according to the Ministry of Health's Decision No. 3888/QD-BYT dated September 8, 2020. 

6. Da Nang-based schools

a) Strictly implementing this plan to ensure safety in the disease prevention and control when students return to schools.

b) Consolidating school health divisions, arranging medical staff or contracting with commune/ward health stations or general clinic in the locality to perform the disease prevention and control work at schools.

c) Developing the plan on COVID-19 prevention and control at schools and taking measures to prevent infection.  In particular, specifying the plan to handle COVID-19 cases at schools. Arranging temporary quarantine rooms at schools. 

d) Heads of schools shall review and consolidate the Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control at schools, and assign specific tasks to each member to immediately handle disease situations arising in their units in the new school year 2021-2022. 

dd) The Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control at each school shall set up a COVID-19 safety monitoring team to regularly monitor and urge the dissemination of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the unit. The COVID-19 safety monitoring team in schools shall be managed by staff and teachers (with the participation of students at the lower secondary and high school levels). The main tasks of such team are to urge, monitor and ask students to strictly implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures, especially complying with the 5K rules. 

e) Heads of the Steering Committees for COVID-19 prevention and control at schools shall regularly keep in contact with health stations of communes/wards where the schools are located for advice and guidance in the implementation of disease prevention and control measures in their units. 

Above is the plan to ensure safety in the COVID-19 prevention and control at schools. The plan may be adjusted and supplemented based on the actual situation and current regulations of the Central Government, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Training and relevant ministries and sectors./.