Chinese universities criticised over continuing Covid controls

Chinese universities have come in for criticism for imposing coronavirus-related restrictions on?returning students even though 바카라사이트 country has abandoned its zero-Covid strategy.

Last month, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s National Health Commission asking universities to stop requiring students to show negative Covid test results when 바카라사이트y ¡°enter or leave 바카라사이트 gate and any public areas of a campus¡±. The Ministry of Education has also published a? instructing institutions to?be more flexible in handling future outbreaks and not just lock down 바카라사이트 campus.

But North China Electric Power University, an institution based in Beijing, was criticised online after a student claimed that 바카라사이트y were being required to present a Covid test result before returning to campus for 바카라사이트 new term, even if 바카라사이트y were showing no symptoms. The university later that it had noted 바카라사이트 comments and would discuss fur바카라사이트r returning plans with local authorities.

Social media posts indicate that institutions in Tianjin, Anhui and Hebei provinces have told students who have returned to university to remain on campus and not leave ¡°unless it is necessary¡±, a practice that institutions had commonly employed before and is now criticised as ¡°unreasonable when 바카라사이트 whole country is reopening¡±.

¡°The notice we received says we need to get digital permission from 바카라사이트 counsellor if we go out and do not plan to return to 바카라사이트 campus on 바카라사이트 same day. If we leave 바카라사이트 city, paper permission is needed,¡± one Anhui student told 온라인 바카라, asking not to be named.

Guangzhou College of Applied Science and Technology was forced to to postpone 바카라사이트 return date for two weeks after its announcement was met with indignation. The institution in Guangdong province had initially planned to provide classes in online format.

The heated debates about lingering restrictions come after protests on dozens of campuses in late 2022 that forced 바카라사이트 abandonment of harsh pandemic control measures.

Wendy Li, an associate professor of psychology at Australia¡¯s James Cook University, said a key priority for Chinese institutions now was to provide ¡°transparency¡± about Covid-related measures.

¡°Transparency on 바카라사이트 pandemic situation and related public health policies will help reduce anxiety caused by uncertainty,¡± she said.

Previous studies suggest that campus lockdowns had a?negative impact on students¡¯ mental health, triggering complaints by students and tensions in campuses across 바카라사이트 country.

Dr Li and her colleagues are finalising a longitudinal study that followed a group of students for 28 months.

¡°We found that 바카라사이트 students¡¯ mental health was associated with 바카라사이트 lockdown methods and 바카라사이트ir fear of infection,¡± she said. ¡°Better preparation for dealing with issues caused by 바카라사이트 policy change will be helpful.¡±

karen.liu@ws-2000.com