Thousands of students are going back to school today in Wuhan — the original epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
The central Chinese city was placed under strict lockdown in January to arrest the spread of the virus, with nobody allowed in or out, and movement limited within the city. The restrictions began lifting in early April, with borders opening, domestic travel resuming, and some businesses allowed to reopen.
Students return: A total of 57,800 students will return to class in Wuhan today, according to a statement from Hubei province authorities. Some 121 schools in the city are reopening, including 83 high schools and 38 vocational schools.
High school seniors will be the first to return, as they need to prepare for the “gao kao,” China’s university exam. It’s typically held on June 7-8 each year, but was postponed this year to July 7-8 due to the coronavirus. Younger high school grades will slowly return in phases.
