GUANGZHOU — South China's Guangdong province has demanded all school staff undergo nucleic acid tests before resuming work to lower the risk of novel coronavirus infection, according to the provincial education department.

They should test negative for the novel coronavirus and have no symptoms such as fever and cough, it added.

Schools in the province will resume class from April 27 in batches, with students in their final year of middle and high schools allowed to return first.

Students and teachers returning from Wuhan should be quarantined for 14 days at home or dormitories and test negative for coronavirus before resuming work or study. Those returning from overseas should report to their residential communities and follow the health regulations of local governments.

Guangdong will invite medical staff to instruct all schools to conduct epidemic prevention and control, with each school having at least one medical worker on campus, said Wang Chuang, deputy director of the provincial education department.