Coronavirus: Hong Kong to drop daily rapid antigen test requirement for all pupils from Thursday
- Kindergartens and primary pupils will no longer need to show negative RAT results under eased measures, after requirement for secondary schools was lifted earlier
- Those who test positive for Covid-19 but are asymptomatic can return to school, but they should wear a mask, authorities say
Hong Kong pupils will no longer be required to conduct daily rapid antigen tests (RAT) for Covid-19 or undergo temperature checks before going to school from Thursday, education authorities have announced.
In a circular sent to school principals on Friday, the Education Bureau also said it would scrap all health guidelines on Covid-19 prevention at schools.
Schools should instead refer to general guidelines for the prevention and handling of infectious diseases and report suspected coronavirus outbreaks and upper respiratory diseases as stipulated, the bureau said.
Those who tested positive but were asymptomatic could return to school, but they should wear a mask and avoid going to crowded places or coming into contact with high-risk people.
But students and staff who displayed symptoms, such as fever and coughing, should avoid returning to school and seek medical help as soon as possible, authorities have said, adding they should also wear a mask, conduct a RAT and notify schools immediately if they returned a positive result.
The requirement for pupils to show a negative RAT result before entering schools was introduced last April after the resumption of half-day in-person classes.
The government has faced mounting calls from parents and health experts to lift the measure after the city rolled back Covid-19 restrictions in December, including mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for arrivals and social-distancing curbs.