Students, teachers to undergo COVID-19 test in Punjab

LAHORE: As part of precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Punjab government has decided to to conduct random coronavirus tests of students and teachers across the province, ARY News reported.

According to Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman said that the provincial government, in line with the direction of NCO, decided to conduct random coronavirus tests of students and school staff in over 600 educational institutions.

He maintained that they will launch an awareness campaign at high-risk educational institutions.

Earlier on September 7, Educational institutions would reopen in phases across the country starting September 15 with universities and professional colleges setting the course for schools to reopen later, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood had said.

The phase-wise reopening of the education centres, that were shut down following the COVID-19 breakout in March, would commence from next week and all the classes above nine will resume formal education with set Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place.

He had said since its opening, coronavirus tests will be conducted in the institutes every 15 days and the masks would be mandatory.