Secondary school students who have to take high school or college entrance exams began returning to classes starting from April 7 in several provinces of China after a two-month “super long vacation”, as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic situation continues to improve in the country.

Twelfth graders attend class in No. 3 Middle School of Harbin on April 7. (Photo/Xinhua)

Although the peak of the epidemic in China has passed, schools in Chinese provinces including Heilongjiang, Henan, Fujian, and Hunan which resumed classes on April 7 have taken abundant precautionary measures to protect the students from any possible infections.

For instance, twelfth graders from Changjun Meixihu Middle School in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province, are required to maintain a certain distance between each other and get disinfected at the entrance of the school.

The students then step into an aisle to have their body temperatures taken by a thermal imaging system before they are allowed to enter the school.

All the schools have prepared disinfection materials for teachers and students, and some have even set up observation rooms for emergency situations.

Furthermore, many schools have reduced the number of students in classes. In Hefei No. 7 Middle School in east China’s Anhui province, teaching classes have been divided into two classes of smaller sizes that take their lessons in turn. When one class takes lessons from their teachers, the other watches the lesson via live broadcast.

Schools have also made strenuous efforts to ensure the safety of students while dining and taking transportation.

At Chengdu No. 7 High School in southwest China's Sichuan province, arrangements were made for students of different grades to go to the canteen during different periods at lunch time. After each batch of students have their meals, tablecloths are immediately changed to ensure the hygiene of the dining environment.

In Fuzhou city, southeast China's Fujian Province, customized bus lines have been launched for senior high students preparing for the upcoming gaokao, China's national college entrance examination.