Tsinghua University Photo: CFP

In response to the demand of serving students during the current wave of epidemic in Beijing, some universities in Beijing have opened registration channels for students returning home in advance to reduce the risk of taking public transport.

Tsinghua University announced on Sunday that it will open a special line for students returning home in advance, providing direct transport to Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station, Chaoyang Railway Station, Fengtai Railway Station, Beijing Capital Airport and Daxing Airport.

According to the announcement, students can reserve the seat online and take the bus for free after completing the formalities of leaving the school. The reservation system will open at 8 am on Monday.

Besides, the Global Times learned from the University of International Business and Economics and Chinese Academy of Sciences that these schools have also started to help students return home.

Beijing reported more than 20,275 cases in the latest outbreak from November 1 to 27. More than 1,000 new infections have been reported daily in the city for six consecutive days since November 21.

On Sunday, Beijing reported 1,781 new confirmed cases and 1,411 asymptomatic infections, 233 of whom were found through social screening, according to local health authorities.

In order to prevent students from returning home in droves and causing a new round of outbreak, the school will arrange students in groups in the order of registration, rather than letting students rush to airports and buses in crowds, a student from Chinese Academy of Sciences told the Global Times on Sunday.

Some netizens said that opening the line early meant that students could choose when to take their winter vacation. "It's in the middle of the World Cup, so I hope that the students can go home early and watch the game with their family and enjoy their lives," one netizen joked.

Global Times