School teachers and students in Beijing will be required to wear masks at all times when new semester starts, under a rule issued by the capital's education authorities on Monday.

The Beijing Municipal Education Commission said in a circular that surgical masks are must-have items for teachers when giving lessons at school. It added that the disinfection of classroom floors, study lounges and labs should be conducted twice daily, and used tissues and face masks should be placed in special trash cans with people assigned for clean-up.

If the novel coronavirus is confirmed or suspected in a school, an emergency response plan must be launched and measures such as a suspension of classes or even closing the school would be taken to guarantee the safety and health of students and teachers, the notice said.

A relatively closed class management method will be adopted at the start of the new semester, the authorities said. All classes will set different times for breaks, meals or leaving school to reduce interaction as much as possible between students.

Parents must leave the school immediately after picking up their children to avoid clustering, the notice said. A specific designated area for parents to wait for their children to finish class is to be maintained in front of each school gate, ensuring the safety of every parent and student.

Education authorities in the capital said on Sunday that high school seniors will go back to class on April 27, and students in their final year of primary school will return on May 11. Return dates for students in other grades in Beijing have not been specified yet.