Back to school with a difference in Russia

Students across Russia began returning to classes on Tuesday for the first time since schools were closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The day Sept 1 also marks the Day of Knowledge in Russia, but this year's return was marked by procedures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

They were set down by the education ministry and the sanitary authority Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being.

Boys filed into classrooms in uniforms with neckties and the girls wore flowers in their hair－a traditional practice in Russia for formal occasions.

Under the health guidelines, schools must provide hand sanitizers throughout premises and were also required install to air-purifiers. However, children are not required to wear masks.

"They will be able to remain without masks in schools during class and breaks, in cafeterias and during physical education classes," the sanitary authority said.

Safety requirements

Russian Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov said: "All coronavirus safety requirements will be taken into account in order to protect our children and teachers as much as possible." Schedules will be drafted in an effort to ensure children will not gather in large groups, said the minister, without saying when or how this would be done.

Ahead of the reopening of schools, Moscow city authorities conducted coronavirus tests on all 180,000 workers, including cleaners and canteen workers, in the capital's education system.

Nearly 3 percent of the workers, or 5,500, tested positive and will be temporarily kept away from schools. A further 13.3 percent were found to have antibodies for COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis center reported 4,729 new cases in Russia, taking the total to more than 1 million.

Moscow clinics last week began receiving supplies of the vaccine Sputnik V, which has been approved for use inside Russia even though the final Phase III tests, involving 40,000 people, only began last Wednesday.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said shots of the vaccine will be made mandatory for military personnel.

From this month, doctors and teachers will be among the first to be offered the jab on a voluntary basis, officials have said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he supports this arrangement.