Pui Ching principal hopes daily RAT requirements end soon

Lawmaker Kou Kam Fai, principal of Pui Ching Middle School, hopes daily Covid-19 antigen tests on students with no previous infections will end soon.

Government guidelines currently require students with no previous Covid-19 infection to undergo a SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen test (RAT) daily before school.

As his school resumed classes yesterday after the Lunar New Year holiday, Kou hoped the requirement will end soon.

He believes RAT is able to protect non-infected students, “but with a relatively high recovery rate, there is in fact herd immunity,” he said.

Kou said his school has a relatively high overall prior-infection rate, with 83% among the staff, 82% of senior high students, 81% of primary students and 73% of kindergarten students.

On the other hand, the past Covid-19 outbreak across the city has also prevented physical education classes. The education bureau does not recommend physical movements due to concerns over inflammation in students’ developing hearts. It also suggests schools teach sport theories as part of a substitute curriculum.

However, Kou ignored education bureau recommendations and suggested teachers get students out of their classrooms during physical education periods for leisurely walking or stretching, “just to get some fresh air,” the principal said.

Nonetheless, with recovery progressing, physical education classes will gradually return with activities progressing from mild to higher intensity.

The principal expects to resume graduation excursions this year, “especially for prospective senior high graduates,” he said. “Last year, due to the June 18 outbreak, we reduced the excursion to staycation at a local hotel.”

This year, he expects graduating classes will be able to undertake larger-scale excursions proportionate to their education levels, hinting that senior high students may be able to fly again. AL