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One out of four new confirmed cases is youth and children under the age of 18.

The number reaches 52,000. In particular, the number of confirmed cases under the age of 11 who are not subject to vaccination has more than doubled from 26,000 in January to 329,000 in one month.

As schools across the country open today (2nd) for the new school year, there are many concerns about whether the corona virus will spread among students.



Reporter Park Jae-hyun covered the scene.



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Before the elementary school entrance ceremony begins, parents prepare their children and take a commemorative photo.



When the entrance ceremony begins,



[Parents, please move to the back of the line and to the parent's seat.]



Parents move out of the line installed on the playground.



This is to prevent corona infection.



In some cases, parents waited at the school gate and only the children held the entrance ceremony in the classroom.



[Ahn Byeong-gu / Nowon-gu, Seoul: I am worried because of the corona, but the child cannot stay at home all the time, so half worried, excited.]



Teachers hand out rapid antigen test kits to students and explain how to use them.



[Homeroom teacher: If you do this and there is only one line here, you can come (to school).

That's what we call Eumseong.]



The most worrying thing is school lunch, where many students eat together.



Some schools have made them eat convenience foods such as bread and milk at their desks or, if they wish, have them eat at home after school.



[Parents: I even went home without lunch.

Optionally, only those who want.]



Although the Ministry of Education said that rapid antigen testing before school is not mandatory, some schools do not comply with it.



[School Broadcasting: Self-examinations are requested by 8 o'clock before school starts, and if not conducted, classroom entry is restricted.]



In the past two days in Seoul, 2,883 students and 444 faculty and staff have been confirmed, and group infections have occurred in 7 schools.



On the homepage of the Office of Education, there are announcements that they are looking for replacement teachers, and some schools are switching to distance learning in the first week of school.



(Video coverage: Park Jin-ho, video editing: Park Chun-bae)



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