MOE requires further suspension of major sporting events and gatherings

China has now managed to drive local coronavirus transmission down to nearly zero, but imported cases are on the rise. Given large sporting events and mass gatherings carry a high risk of transmission, the Office of the Leading COVID-19 Response Group under the Ministry of Education issued the Notice on Further Suspension of Major Sporting Events and Gatherings during the COVID-19 Prevention Period (“Notice”) to ensure the safety and physical health of teachers and students.

The Notice requires that, in full implementation of instructions issued by President Xi Jinping on securing victory over the battle against COVID-19, schools should continue to maintain a high degree of vigilance and accountability, and further implement preventive and control measures, especially with regard to imported cases, to prevent any major fresh outbreak.

The Notice stresses that in order to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through large public events and human movement, all sporting events and gatherings should be suspended on campuses. Schools everywhere are required to improve existing epidemic prevention and working mechanisms, draw up detailed scenario planning, and make adjustments to previously scheduled sports events, and the teaching of PE classes and training sessions.