Date: April 26th, 2020
Source: School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, JNU

Prof. Cai Lihui, dean of JNU's School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, was invited to speak on April 22 at an expert symposium on the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Guangzhou. Participants listened to the opinions and advice of experts on clinical treatment, epidemiologic investigation, education, media and other fields, and made preparations for students' return to campus this semester. In attendance were Zhong Nanshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of China National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, and Zhang Yonghui, former director of the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Zhang Shuofu, secretary of the Guangzhou municipal party committee, spoke at the symposium hosted by Wen Guohui, the committee's deputy secretary.

Cai said he believed that Guangzhou's epidemic prevention and control was moving in the right direction and that data showed it was safe for primary- and secondary students to return to school. He encouraged the schools, students and their parents to be confident about resuming classes because students in the classroom epitomize a normal society.

Focusing on class resumption, experts at the meeting suggested strengthening the normalization of epidemic prevention and control on and off campus through a virus monitoring and alert system，teacher-student health management，head teachers' responsibility in resuming classes，school medical force and its emergency response, and cooperation between schools and families. Experts also provided advice on such issues as guaranteeing safety in the school periphery，transportation and food security，and better addressing public concerns.

All agreed that Guangzhou should prepare for students' return to school in a steady, orderly manner and that their returns should be staggered.