【Shine】University prepares for students' return

    Students takepart in a drill at East China University of Science and Technology inpreparation for the school's reopening.

    Thoughauthorities have not yet decided when schools will reopen, East ChinaUniversity of Science and Technology carried out a drill on campus activitiesand emergency management at its Fengxian District campus.

    “The drill is tocheck our plans on epidemic control and prevention, as well as emergencymanagement, to prepare for the reopening of our university,” said Li Tao, vicepresident of the university.

    Before thedrill, Wang Zhi, a deputy director of the infectious disease division atFengxian’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told teachers andstudents of the different categories of masks needed for different scenariosand the correct ways to wash hands and put on or take off protective suits.

    The drill was atfive locations – the university’s north gate, a student dorm, a canteen, theuniversity hospital and the teachers’ apartment building. All participantssimulated emergencies that may arise when students return.

    Students wererequired to enter the university from the north gate where they had theiridentities and temperatures checked. Those with a temperature of 37.3 Celsius degreesor higher would be guided to a recheck point and, if their temperatures didn’tchange, would be asked to put on surgical masks and wait for an ambulance totake them to hospital for further examination. The university would arrangestaff to accompany them.

    Students havetheir identities and temperature taken when entering campus via theuniversity's north gate.

    A scenario wherea student with a fever waits for an ambulance to take her to hospital.

    Students alsohad their identities and temperatures checked when entering the dorm compound.They were given a timetable to use the bathroom to take showers in turn andalso a dorm convention on virus control and prevention. They were also remindedto maintain good personal hygiene and ventilation in the room.

    When a studenthad a fever, he or she would be accompanied by a counselor to the universityhospital for another check. If the student is identified as a suspectedcoronavirus case, the university would work with the local CDC to carry out anepidemiological investigation, screen out and quarantine close contacts, anddisinfect locations.

    At the canteen,teachers and students waited in line to have their temperatures taken beforeentry. They were guided into several lines to avoid crowding and take packedfood back to the dorm.

    Students enterthe canteen in line as part of the drill.

    Students areguided into several lines to take away packed food.

    At theuniversity hospital, medical staff would recheck temperatures, registerinformation of those with high temperatures, ask questions as part of anepidemiological investigation and guide them to a designated waiting area.Medical staff would call the local CDC for vehicles to take them to feverclinic at a designated hospital for further examination and treatment. Theywould also arrange for staff to accompany them.

    Medical staff atthe university hospital wait for students taking part in the drill.

    Those ruled freeof infection would be put into 14-day quarantine at a designated place afterreturning to campus.

    After being toldabout the quarantine rules by medical staff from the university hospital, thestudents would go into a room via a channel exclusively for fever patients.

    There were basicarticles for daily use and disinfectants in the room, as well as notes tellingthem about rules for disinfection, dining and garbage disposal duringquarantine.

    According to therules, meals would be dropped at the door by service staff while quarantinedstudents have to drop their waste at the door to avoid direct contact with eachother. The corridors and other public areas would be disinfected regularly.

    An ambulancestands by during the drill which would be used to take students to hospital ifnecessary.