By KAZUYUKI ITO/ Staff Writer
December 9, 2020 at 18:00 JST
Pupils of an elementary school in Hiroshima sing in choir practice. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The education ministry is urging schools to ensure students keep wearing masks during indoor choir sessions following reports of cluster infections involving junior high school students who were singing together.
The ministry’s directive was issued to education boards nationwide on Dec. 8.
For outdoor choir sessions, the ministry’s directive does not require students to wear masks if they are each separated by at least 2 meters and avoid facing each other.
For indoor chorus sessions, the ministry asks that students and their instructors wear masks, stay at least 1 meter apart from each other, constantly ventilate the room, and completely refrain from raising their voices at close range.
The directive also advises chorus singers not to use mouth shields, face shields and masks that only partially cover the chin as protection against infections. It says this equipment may not prevent the spread of the virus if they are handled improperly.
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