Students Exposed To COVID-19, 3 Schools In Batam Forced To Close

JAKARTA - The Batam City Government, Riau Islands, was forced to close 3 schools after students were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in each school. This step was taken to break the chain of the spread of COVID.

The 3 schools that were closed were SDN 4 Rearpadang, SMPN 1 Rearpadang and SMPN 43 Baloi. "I have summoned the Head of Education Office, as long as someone is still exposed, we must sterilize it," said Deputy Mayor of Batam, Amsakar Achmad, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, March 30.

The previous school had run face-to-face schools. Of the three schools that were closed, two of them were located on the buffer island, Pulauakangpadang, namely SDN 4akangpadang and SMPN 1 Rearpadang, which have indeed been allowed face-to-face learning since the beginning of 2021.

Meanwhile, SMP 43 Baloi is located on the main island, only running a face-to-face school a few weeks ago. The Deputy Mayor stated that when the case was found, the students returned to learning from home.

"We don't want our students to become a new cluster (of COVID-19 transmission) in Batam," he said.

According to him, school closure is a normative standard that the government must implement to minimize the potential for virus transmission. Regarding the condition of students exposed to the virus, they are now undergoing independent isolation at their homes.

"We ask the Health Office to monitor the progress," he said.

Previously, the Head of the Rear District District, Yudi Admaji, stated that the student who tested positive for COVID-19 had contracted it from his family. The family is currently being treated at RSBP Batam.

"All of them have no symptoms," he said.