After suffering through months of devastation and loss from the coronavirus pandemic, parents in China are starting to send their little ones back to school in some areas and precautions are being taken to make sure students are safe. In fact, kids are wearing social distancing hats to school in China that are meant to help keep them at a safe distance away from their friends.
Children in grades one through three who have headed back to study at the Yangzheng School in Eastern China’s Zhejiang province were given an interesting craft right away. They were asked to make their own social distancing hats out of things like cardboard and balloons to ensure they were creating at least a one-meter buffer zone now that they're back in a social setting, according to the BBC.
"This was our own creative idea. It helps us promote our slogan: 'Wear a one-metre hat, keep a one-metre distance,'" Hong Feng, the school's vice principal, told local media, as Metro reported. The children have reportedly been told they can not have physical contact with each other and cannot break their hats, but looking at the photos of the children donning their creations in the classroom on social media, they look pretty happy to be wearing them anyhow.
Schools in China have been closed since Jan. 29 as the country saw a surge in COVID-19 cases, according to The Washington Post. And while many schools in the country have begun to reopen, it has been done with extra precautions in place. The BBC reports that students arriving at school on Monday in Beijing were met with staff wearing full hazmat suits, while other schools were taking students' temperatures at the gates before allowing them access. At the Yangzheng School, children were required to wear protective face masks as well as donning their DIY social distancing hats, according to CNET.
It can be a struggle for kids to understand social distancing, particularly when they are younger like these little ones in grades one through three. Not to mention the fact that they are seeing friends they might not have seen in months. Encouraging them to create their own social distancing hats seems like a gentle, thoughtful way to encourage them to be extra careful. And perhaps food for thought for other students when they ultimately return to school in the future.
If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper’s parents + coronavirus coverage here, and Bustle’s constantly updated, general “what to know about coronavirus” here.
