While no announcements have been made on when pre-schools will reopen, all pre-school staff will be required to take the COVID-19 swab test before returning to work.

From May 15, all pre-school staff, including teachers, principals, programme helpers, administrative staff, cooks and helpers are expected to undergo the swab test to reduce the risk of transmissions before pre-schools eventually reopen.

Children will not be tested as they are “more frequently infected through transmission by adults“, and there is less evidence of transmissions between children.

The COVID-19 swab tests will be conducted by the Health Promotion Board at four designated centres, located in polytechnics, between May 15 and May 26.

All pre-school staff will be allocated a designated centre, and they can only take the authorised shuttle bus at the specified pick-up point to make their way there. The swab test will take about one hour, including travelling and waiting time. The results of the test are expected to be released within 48 hours.

In the meantime, all pre-school staff are encouraged to continue practising precautionary measures like washing their hands frequently with soap and keeping a safe distance from others.