13 Students And 1 Teacher Positive For COVID-19, SMA Negeri 8 Pekanbaru City Stops Face-to-Face Learning

PEKANBARU - Pekanbaru City 8 Public High School (SMA) has suspended face-to-face lessons (PTM) after dozens of students and a teacher were confirmed positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, February 16.

Public Relations Deputy of SMA Negeri 8 Pekanbaru Amri said it was previously known that one of the students was positive for COVID-19 after his parents reported the incident to the school.

Then PCR was carried out on other students and it was found that 13 students from various classes and a teacher were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

"With this positive information, the school has communicated with relevant agencies, namely the Pekanbaru COVID-19 cluster team and the health office and the teaching and learning process is back online," Amri said when met in Pekanbaru, Antara, Thursday, February 17.

Even though the school was closed, Amri said he would continue to conduct swab tests on students and educators. In addition, disinfectants were also sprayed throughout the school.

"Initially they were swabbed privately, but we continue to carry out swab tests in schools as well. For today alone there are 221 students and teachers," he continued.

Although face-to-face learning is discontinued, teaching and learning activities are still carried out according to the existing schedule but with an online learning system.

"Monday we will return to active PTM. However, for those who are positive, we urge you to self-isolate first until their condition is completely recovered," said Amri.

Amri added that his party could not confirm the origin of the exposure of students at the school because after the learning process was finished the students also went home immediately.

"In the morning we also check the progress by waiting for students at the gate. In class we also continue to wear masks," he said.