Editorial | Lessons in caution at reopening of Hong Kong’s schools
- With face-to-face classes set to resume after Easter, diligent support and anti-infection discipline from teachers, parents and students will be required
Hong Kong has finally reconciled the fight against Covid-19 with the need for children to resume a proper education. Schools are to reopen after Easter from April 19 for vaccinated and unvaccinated students alike.
There are trade-offs, the main one being that teachers and students must pass a rapid antigen test each day. Unvaccinated children will be excluded from non-academic activities such as sports and music to maintain some protection against infection.
The government has acted under growing pressure from parents and educationists to wait no longer for key pandemic indicators to fall into line. Daily reported new infections are still in four digits. Only 63 per cent of three- to 11-year-olds have received their first jab and 30 per cent their second.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor acknowledges the risks – including a possible rebound in cases, but says they are manageable. Some disease experts say that remains to be seen.
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But on balance, in the short- and long-term interests of our children, allowing them to live with the virus in a proper educational environment is the right decision at this time.