Ministry of Education and KDCA Regularize COVID-19 Response Coordination Meetings

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Ministry of Education and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) have agreed to regularize consultations to monitor and respond to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases in schools in the Seoul metropolitan area.

The Ministry of Education announced that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye and KDCA Commissioner Jung Eun-kyung held a video conference on the 7th and reached this agreement. Deputy Prime Minister Yoo and Commissioner Jung assessed that although secondary transmission of COVID-19 through infections within schools has not yet occurred, the ongoing community cluster infections in the metropolitan area make the situation unsafe to be complacent about.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo and Commissioner Jung agreed to monitor the status of COVID-19 cases in metropolitan area schools and community infections, regularly assess the risks, and respond closely.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

They also decided to strengthen education to prevent students from engaging in activities such as physical education, singing, and eating in underground or enclosed spaces where ventilation is difficult, and to send joint home publicity materials issued by the Minister of Education and the KDCA Commissioner containing related information.

Furthermore, schools will be guided to ensure that students practice proper mask usage and are provided opportunities to breathe without masks outdoors during lunch breaks or recess while maintaining sufficient distance.

In addition, in the metropolitan area where the risk of COVID-19 infection is high, diagnostic testing for COVID-19 will continue to be promoted in dormitory schools, and consultations will be held with relevant local governments to prioritize diagnostic testing in areas where community infection is a concern.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.