Students Can Enjoy School without Masks in Japan from April

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan's education ministry on Friday notified education boards across the country of new COVID-19 guidelines that basically do not ask students to wear masks at school from April 1.

Students will not be required to wear masks even when singing in chorus, an activity believed to have a relatively high risk of infection, according to the new guidelines.

The guidelines, however, say that windows in two different directions should be kept open for ventilation when students sing in a classroom. They will also have to be one meter away from the students in front of them and half a meter away from those next to them and will be asked not to sing while facing each other.

The ministry also scrapped a request for quiet lunches, albeit with some conditions. Students will be allowed to chat during lunch if classrooms are properly ventilated and additional measures are taken, such as not speaking in a loud voice, not sitting face to face and staying some one meter away from each other if they sit face to face.

In the meantime, students, teachers and school staff members will be recommended to wear masks when commuting on crowded trains or buses and visiting medical institutions or elderly care facilities as part of school activities.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]