The new academic year is about to start. In order to protect the health and safety of teachers and students, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) announced on 12^th August the epidemic prevention measures for school opening. Students and teaching staff of tertiary and non-tertiary education are required to return to their usual places of residence (Macao, Zhuhai or Zhongshan) before school starts, and on the school opening day, they should have a negative test result of a NAT taken within 72 hours.

Regarding students and teaching staff of tertiary and non-tertiary education to return to their usual places of residence 10 days before school starts, the counting of 10 days is that, if a school starts on 1^st September, its students and teaching staff must return to their usual places of residence (Macau, Zhuhai or Zhongshan) on or before 22^nd August.

Regarding the negative test result of NAT taken within 72 hours before the school opening day, the counting of 72 hours is that, if a school starts on 1^st September, its students and teaching staff can take a free NAT in one of the 3 days before the school starts, that is, 31^st, 30^th and 29^th August.

In order to facilitate relevant NAT arrangements, the DSEDJ is collecting the list of students and teaching staff from local schools, and relevant department will set up a designated NAT booking link for them. The DSEDJ will also contact schools to arrange testing dates for teachers and students in a staggered manner. Students and teaching staff can make an appointment for a free NAT within three days (within 72 hours) before school starts. The test results cannot be used for border-crossing purpose.

In addition, the DSEDJ is collecting the list of cross-border students of the new academic year. The collection work will be completed in late August. Starting from 29^th August, cross-border students living in Zhuhai and Zhongshan can bring their valid student ID cards to the 6 designated hospitals in Zhuhai to take free NATs. The 6 hospitals are: Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Zhuhai Branch, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, North Campus of Zhuhai Center for Maternal and Child Health Care, Zhuhai International Travel Healthcare Center (Gongbei Customs Port Outpatient Department) and Hengqin Branch of Zhihai People’s Hosptial.