The Secretary for Education, Christine Choi, announced that full-day in-person classes at Hong Kong schools will resume, starting February 1, 2023. In a Facebook post on Wednesday night, Choi said that proof of a Covid-19 vaccination for teachers, other school staff, and visitors to school premises will not be required from December 29, in line with the government’s recent abolition of the vaccine pass.
Secondary schools can resume whole-day face-to-face classes from February 1, while primary schools and kindergartens will begin full-day in-person classes on February 15. In addition, all students can take part in extra-curricular activities, irrespective of their vaccination status. However, Choi said that only schools with a certain vaccination rate will be allowed to hold whole-day classes.
Previously, the Education Bureau stated that secondary schools that achieved a 90% triple-vaccination rate among its students could continue with full-day classes after January 31, 2023. Primary schools with a 70% two-dose vaccination rate among its students began whole-day classes on December 1, while kindergartens are currently only allowed half-day classes.
There is also a respective three-dose and double-dose vaccination requirement for secondary and primary students who want to participate in extra-curricular and some mask-off activities on school premises.
Choi said that students and teaching staff must continue to take rapid antigen tests (RATs) and check their body temperature every day before they can enter school premises until January 31, 2023, after which the government will review the measure.
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