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TOKYO, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Most elementary and secondary schools in the Japanese capital of Tokyo started their fall semester on Tuesday. This year, the opening date was one week earlier than usual to make up for some deficiencies of teaching due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In Shirokane-no-oka Elementary & Junior High School in central Tokyo, vice principal Rieko Watabe was welcoming students at the gate.

"The epidemic is still very serious at present. Under such circumstances, we are both happy and nervous that the school could begin the fall semester. I feel very happy when I see the smiling faces of the children in the morning," said Watabe.

Asked about the epidemic prevention measures, Watabe told Xinhua that the school diverts students at the school gate. The first floor is the entrance for students of grade 1 and 2, while the third floor is the entrance for students of grade 3 and above.

In the morning, teachers check the temperature of all students at the entrance and observe their overall health. Meanwhile, each student must submit a health card recording his or her body temperature taken at home before going to school. The school also has surveillance cameras to monitor the children's health, said Watabe.

According to the vice principal, the school has made great efforts to avoid the 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings) and disinfection.

For example, the school opened all the partitions between classrooms and hallways to increase the spacing of desks.

During art and music classes, students take turns in groups to ensure distance in the classroom. The classroom is air-conditioned at ordinary times while windows are opened for ventilation between classes and after school.

Watabe also said that disinfectant is placed in all classrooms, and children must wash their hands and spray disinfectant before eating or entering the classrooms.

In order to prevent heatstroke, the school does not strictly require the students to wear face masks outside school. However, after entering school, they are required to wear masks all day except for physical classes and lunch time.

The vice principal added that the school disinfects the kitchen very thoroughly. Even though there were no classes during the summer vacation, all kitchen equipment were disinfected every day.

On April 7, Japan's central government declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of the coronavirus in the country. Almost all primary and secondary schools were closed at that time.

After the state of emergency was lifted in late May, Shirokane-no-oka Elementary & Junior High School resumed some classed in June. Children in each class are divided into two groups to go to school, each for half a day twice a week.

With the outbreak showing signs of abating in Tokyo, the school resumed full operation on July 1. However, as the infections were spreading again in mid-July, some parents began asking their children to take time off from school.

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday confirmed 236 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 19,846 cases, the highest among Japan's 47 prefectures.

The figure depressed some parents, who said that so many students attending classes together are prone to cluster infections. However, they also worried that if the students do not go to school for a long time, they will fall behind in their studies. So the only viable option seems to be thoroughly disinfecting their school bags and clothes after the students returning home. Enditem