DISINFECTION ORDER OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

[Anchor Lead]

Schools in Korea are scheduled to open in about ten days. The education ministry has instructed school authorities to conduct special disinfection of school facilities and set up isolation sites as a precautionary measure.

[Pkg]

Students must have their temperatures checked when they come to school. They come to school and take breaks at different times depending on their grades. Students will be asked to wear masks even during class. The education ministry said an entire student body can be kept out of school for 14 days if a COVID-19 infection is confirmed. But the ministry hasn't come up with a measure to reduce group activities.

[Soundbite] PARK BAEG-BEOM(VICE MINISTER OF EDUCATION) : "We cannot immediately implement such measures as dividing classes or reducing the number of students per class."

Unlike private after-school academies where students are asked to sit one to two meters apart, schools are simply told to put as much distance between the students as possible. But once the schools open, there just isn't sufficient space for about 25 students per class to sit far enough apart.

[Soundbite] (ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "It's realistically impossible to keep them far apart."

Hand-washing is particularly important in fighting the virus. School health teachers say that fun ideas are needed to make young elementary school students wash their hands better.

[Soundbite] LIM DEOK-SIM(ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HEALTH TEACHER) : "This is a stamp that says "Wash hands thoroughly." I stamp it on their hands and they go wash it off. (So, they wash their hands until the stamp is completely washed off?) Right. They wash both hands thoroughly even when only one of their hands is stamped."

Another effective way is to use a novel device to show any uncleaned spots.

[Soundbite] WOO YUN-MI(ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HEALTH TEACHER) : "They put this fluorescent lotion on their hands before washing their hands like they usually do. Then they can see that the fluorescent lotion is still left under the fingernails, on the thumbs, or on the creases."

Experts stress that schools need to identify the students with existing illnesses because their conditions can deteriorate quickly once they become infected.