Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has asked all schools in the province to form a COVID-19 task force to ensure that students adhere to health protocols while attending face-to-face classes amid the pandemic.

“It is important for all schools to have COVID-19 task forces. They will supervise the implementation of health protocols in order to avoid violations,” he said in a press statement released on Thursday.

He made the remarks after visiting students conducting self-isolation at state junior high school SMPN 4 in Purbalingga District, Central Java. The students tested positive for COVID-19 during antigen tests.

In general, the students are in good health and asymptomatic, the governor said.

“Only a few of them have mild symptoms such as cough,” he said.

The governor praised the Purbalingga district administration for its quick response in handling the cases, which included providing an isolation center and suspending face-to-face classes.

He suggested that the district government routinely conduct random COVID-19 testing of students attending face-to-face classes.

“If any of them is found positive for COVID-19, face-to-face class can be temporarily suspended. Do tracing and stay alert for (coronavirus) spread from non-face-to-face learning activity in the educational sector,” he said.

Earlier, the Purbalingga District Health Office reported that 61 out of 90 students of SMPN 4 Purbalingga had tested positive for COVID-19 based on antigen test results, which prompted the local authorities to suspend face-to-face classes in the district.

Source: Antara News