We have not registered a single COVID-19 positive case in the reopened schoolsJakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Education Office has confirmed that no positive COVID-19 cases have been detected in the 610 schools that have recommenced face-to-face classes since August this year.
"We have not registered a single COVID-19 positive case in the reopened schools," head of the Jakarta Education Office Nahdiana informed in Jakarta on Friday.
However, the education office has conceived a handling procedure to mitigate possible COVID-19 positive cases at reopened schools, she added.
Under the emergency procedure, any school that reports confirmed COVID-19 cases will need to close for three days, Nahdiana said.
The three-day period will be used to conduct COVID-19 testing of students and to thoroughly disinfect the school, she explained.
The education office has also collaborated with the Jakarta Health Office to perform periodic COVID-19 antigen tests in the reopened schools to ensure pupils' and teachers' safety, she said.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Health Office's disease prevention and control department head, Dwi Oktavia, refuted recent information that has been circulated regarding positive cases in reopened schools.
"We need to be cautious about labeling an area as a 'COVID-19 cluster'. At least two confirmed cases should be recorded in an area before the designation of 'cluster' can be applied," Oktavia said.
Several COVID-19 cases that were earlier recorded in schools were isolated cases and not cluster cases, she stressed.
The Jakarta Education Office has examined central authority data regarding COVID-19 infection clusters recorded in Jakarta province, she informed. The data recorded only positive cases in schools from January to September 2021 period, before school reopening, she clarified.
Out of the 25 Jakarta schools where COVID-19 clusters were recorded, only two are among the 610 schools that reopened in the first stage of school reopening, which commenced on August 30, 2021, Oktavia said. Those schools are Cindera Mata Indah Junior High School and Yadika 2 High School, which are both located in West Jakarta, she informed.
Related news: VP highlights enthusiasm among Jakarta students for offline classes
Related news: Grogol state elementary school students begin face-to-face learning
Related news: Schools must halt offline learning if COVID case detected: Adisasmito
Translator: Dewa KS Wiguna, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
