S. Korea sees just 1 coronavirus infection at schools while advising foreign university students to take online classes
Arirang News
2020-07-29
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방학 맞이하고 비상걸린 당국... 학교보다 집이 더 위험해
South Korea has been holding in-person classes for about two months now, but a recent report by the KCDC shows school is not ground zero for the majority of children who've been confirmed with Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the Korean government is devising a plan for the tens of thousands of foreign students enrolled in Korean universities set to return for the second semester.
Choi Jeong-yoon has the details.
Concerns over COVID-19 infections at schools have brought unprecedented changes in South Korea.
In a country where education is king... the starting of schools was pushed back several times with most schools going online even after the re-openings.
However, a recent report by South Korea's Central Disease Control Headquarters shows most children who caught COVID-19 actually contracted the disease at home.
Out of one-hundred and eleven COVID-19 cases among 3-to-18-year-olds during the past three months,... over 60 percent of the children contracted the virus from their family members.
Sixteen percent caught it from private academies and tutoring, while eight percent caught it at facilities like PC rooms and singing rooms, or at religious gatherings.
Only one case was related to a transmission at school... a fifth grader contracting the virus from a friend.
"Strict quarantine measures in schools and the efforts of teachers, parents and especially students who wore masks diligently helped prevent school-based cluster infections."
Meanwhile, to prevent COVID-19 cases from some 55-thousand foreign university students expected before the second semester, the education ministry has urged them to take online classes in their own countries if possible.
Classes that require face-to-face lessons are recommended to open in the first semester of next year.
Students will also be exempt from the rule requiring them to enter the country within 15 days of the start of their semester.
"Even if they do enter the country, we will secure quarantine facilities first before entry. We will also request that universities strictly monitor entrants and we will guide them on penalties for breaking quarantine rules."
The government is also planning to stagger entries by issuing visas at different times and adjusting flight schedules.
Specific plans regarding education will be announced next month.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.
South Korea has been holding in-person classes for about two months now, but a recent report by the KCDC shows school is not ground zero for the majority of children who've been confirmed with Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the Korean government is devising a plan for the tens of thousands of foreign students enrolled in Korean universities set to return for the second semester.
Choi Jeong-yoon has the details.
Concerns over COVID-19 infections at schools have brought unprecedented changes in South Korea.
In a country where education is king... the starting of schools was pushed back several times with most schools going online even after the re-openings.
However, a recent report by South Korea's Central Disease Control Headquarters shows most children who caught COVID-19 actually contracted the disease at home.
Out of one-hundred and eleven COVID-19 cases among 3-to-18-year-olds during the past three months,... over 60 percent of the children contracted the virus from their family members.
Sixteen percent caught it from private academies and tutoring, while eight percent caught it at facilities like PC rooms and singing rooms, or at religious gatherings.
Only one case was related to a transmission at school... a fifth grader contracting the virus from a friend.
"Strict quarantine measures in schools and the efforts of teachers, parents and especially students who wore masks diligently helped prevent school-based cluster infections."
Meanwhile, to prevent COVID-19 cases from some 55-thousand foreign university students expected before the second semester, the education ministry has urged them to take online classes in their own countries if possible.
Classes that require face-to-face lessons are recommended to open in the first semester of next year.
Students will also be exempt from the rule requiring them to enter the country within 15 days of the start of their semester.
"Even if they do enter the country, we will secure quarantine facilities first before entry. We will also request that universities strictly monitor entrants and we will guide them on penalties for breaking quarantine rules."
The government is also planning to stagger entries by issuing visas at different times and adjusting flight schedules.
Specific plans regarding education will be announced next month.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.
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