We have not allowed canteens to open
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - The Education, Youth, and Sports Office of Yogyakarta banned all schools in five districts and cities in the province from opening their canteens to prevent the transmission of acute hepatitis among students.

"We have not allowed canteens to open," Deputy Head of the Yogyakarta Education, Youth, and Sports Office Suhirman stated here on Friday.

Suhirman appealed to all schools in Yogyakarta to remind parents that they should prepare food for their children from home during face-to-face learning at school.

According to the office deputy head, despite all schools in Yogyakarta having implemented face-to-face learning at full capacity, the office has, so far, not received reports regarding the transmission of COVID-19 or acute hepatitis in schools.

He remarked that schools in Yogyakarta have begun implementing face-to-face learning after the Eid holiday ended in line with the declining count of daily cases of COVID-19 and the readiness of all schools to reopen at full capacity.

However, he stressed that school hours were still limited, as the country is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All educational institutions are also urged to implement strict health protocols, especially regarding mask-wearing, body temperature checks, and the use of the PeduliLindungi application.

To prevent the potential transmission of hepatitis and COVID-19, Suhirman affirmed that administration of the third or booster dose vaccinations would be revved up among students and teachers.

Earlier, Head of the Yogyakarta Health Office, Pembajun Setyaningastutie, noted that as of May 9, 2022, the Health Office had not received any report regarding the discovery of acute hepatitis cases in the province.

Nevertheless, the Yogyakarta Health Office and relevant institutions continue to strengthen early detection efforts to find symptoms of mysterious acute hepatitis in children by intensifying communication with parents, especially mothers.

Setyaningastutie assessed that acute hepatitis can be prevented by implementing a healthy life style.

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Translator: Luqman Hakim, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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