There is currently no plan for schools across Taiwan to start their winter break ahead of schedule, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Tuesday.
The ministry made the statement after Taoyuan ordered the city’s elementary schools to break for winter one week earlier than scheduled amid a surge of domestic COVID-19 cases.
It is unnecessary for schools in other areas to follow suit as all confirmed cases so far are being monitored by the Central Epidemic Control Center (CECC), the ministry told CNA.
However, the MOE said it “respects” the decision of Taoyuan, home to Taiwan’s main gateway Taoyuan International Airport, where there has been a recent surge of domestic OVID-19 cases.
The ministry also indicated that other administrative areas could carry out similar disease control measures if they deem it necessary.
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (???) said the decision was made following the suspension of classes at three elementary schools in the city which will not reopen until after the winter break, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The last school day before the long break will be Jan. 14, with parents of students able to take unpaid pandemic leave, Cheng said at a press event.
Taiwan on Tuesday confirmed 12 new domestic COVID-19 cases, nine of which are linked to Taoyuan International Airport, bringing the total number of domestic COVID-19 infections connected to the airport reported in the past week to 39.
Fourteen of the cases have been confirmed as belonging to two different strains of the Omicron variant, according to the CECC.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel