According to data provided by the Yogyakarta government, 141 students and 30 school teachers and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the city so far.
"According to the regulations, a school will be closed, or face-to-face teaching and learning activities will be suspended if a case (of COVID-19) is found in the school," head of the Yogyakarta City Education, Youth, and Sports Office, Budi Ashrori, said here on Thursday.
He informed that COVID-19 infections were detected among students and teachers during COVID-19 tracing.
The Yogyakarta City Education, Youth, and Sports Office is actively carrying out surveillance by conducting random COVID-19 testing on students participating in face-to-face learning in schools, he said.
"COVID-19 testing by taking samples of 10 percent of students who partake in face-to-face learning is still being carried out. Sometimes there are findings (of COVID-19 cases), and then close contact tracing is carried out," he added.
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He informed that the temporary closure of schools reporting COVID-19 cases is being carried out based on the recommendations of the COVID-19 task force and the local community health center (puskesmas).
When a school is temporarily closed, teaching and learning activities will be carried out via remote mode again, he added.
"Sometimes, a school is closed for ten days, depending on the (number of) cases found in the school. Mostly they (schools) are closed for five days. After all, safety and health must come first," he said.
The Yogyakarta City Education, Youth, and Sports Office is also routinely evaluating the implementation of health protocols at schools to ensure all schools remain disciplined in implementing health protocols, he added.
Meanwhile, Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyuti asked schools to ensure health protocols are implemented during face-to-face learning.
"If there is a case (of COVID-19), how the health protocol is implemented at the school must be evaluated," he said.
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Translator: Eka Arifa, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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