HaiDuong (VNA) - Students in some districts of the northern province of Hai Duong,Vietnam’s biggest COVID-19 pandemic cluster to date, will return to school on March 18 as local authorities have decided to lift a number of social distancingrestrictions.

Theoutbreak in the province has been controlled with the number of new infectioncases decreasing significantly.

Thewhole province began social distancing on February 16 after a surgein domestically-transmitted cases. The majority of those measures ended on March 3.

Four localities - Hai Duong city, Kinh Mon township, and Cam Giang and Kim Thanh districts,which recorded a high number of new cases, continued to apply some restrictionsfollowing the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 15/CT-TTg. Meanwhile, eight other districtsand cities applied measures set out in the Prime Minister’s Directive No.19/CT-TTg.

Startingfrom March 18, local authorities will allow transport operations, businesses,services and reopening of sports facilities and relic sites but stillunder strict public health safety conditions.

Festivals,religious activities and crowd gatherings will continue to be suspended.

Theauthorities ordered non-essential services like entertainment venues, beautyand spa, karaoke parlours and pubs to remain closed.

Someareas under lockdown will continue to be isolated until further decisions aremade.

Primary,secondary and high schools in Binh Giang, Gia Loc, Ninh Giang, Thanh Ha, ThanhMien, Tu Ky, Nam Sach districts are scheduled to resume on March 18, except forschools and students in the quarantine areas.

Studentsat grade nine and grade 12 in Cam Giang, Kim Thanh districts, Kinh Mon townshipand Chi Linh city will go back to school on March 18. Other students willcontinue online learning until further notice.

Allkindergarten children will be off until the end of the month.

Hai Duong province's authorities have asked schools to suspend day-boardingmodels and extracurricular activities.

Schoolsmust make preparations for the resumption, ensuring safety for students andhave plans in place to compensate lessons for those who remain under quarantineand are not able to return to school next week.

Localauthorities at town, district and city levels have been asked to maintainCOVID-19 quick-response teams.

Steeringcommittees for COVID-19 prevention and control at all levels are responsiblefor stepping up inspections at offices, businesses and schools andimpose strict penalties on those who fail to follow COVID-19 protocols.

HaiDuong recorded 719 domestically-transmitted cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic’sresurgence in late January. More than 1,400 people who have come into closecontact with the confirmed cases are being quarantined in the province. Amongpatients who have contracted the virus, 463 have recovered./.