BEIJING — Two universities in Beijing announced on Jan 2 the winter vacation would start earlier than usual, in an effort to reduce the pressure of COVID-19 control on campus.

Guo Yong, deputy Party secretary of Tsinghua University, said on Jan 2 that the winter vacation for undergraduate students would last from Jan 11 to Feb 21. Graduate students and teachers engaged in teaching and research work are required to take the vacation between Jan 14 and Feb 19.

The school will strictly implement epidemic control measures on campus. Visitors are required to show healthy green codes or nucleic acid test certificates negative for COVID-19 before entering the school, Guo said.

Zhu Guanghao, deputy Party secretary of Beijing International Studies University, said that the school started arranging for students to leave for winter vacations in batches on De 14 and Dec 31, 2020.

The Chinese capital has tightened measures to tackle COVID-19, as 25 locally transmitted confirmed cases were reported between Dec 18 and Jan 1. By Jan 2, the city had designated seven areas as medium-risk.