People walk on a street in Guangzhou's Haizhu district Dec 1, 2022. [Photo: VCG]

Since late November, in order to cope with the fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 cases, one college after another has been allowing students to go home before their semester ended thus reducing the pressure on colleges.

In the absence of any clearly defined policy at that time, many students faced difficulties. Some of them were quarantined in hotels when they got off trains or aircraft, although there were guidelines saying they could quarantine at home.

The flow of students is a major part of the annual Spring Rush in January and February. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, huge population flows have been a major concern for local governments and authorities, who are responsible for keeping the pandemic under control in their regions.

However, that should not be an excuse for the authorities to levy unnecessary quarantine measures on people. The central government has more than once openly prohibited local governments from taking additional, unnecessary measures. With experts saying that the Omicron strain of COVID-19 is less deadly than the original strain, the national anti-pandemic measures have been optimized, setting better standards and more convenient procedures for residents and travelers alike.

It is time local governments followed the guidelines set by the central government and strictly adhered to corresponding measures. It remains the responsibility of local governments and local officials to control the pandemic and prevent it from spreading, but not by imposing unnecessary and harsh measures on students and other returnees.

Homebound students, too, must bear in mind that everyone should act responsibly for his or her own health. With the anti-pandemic measures optimized and their rights better protected, they need to strictly adhere to the guidelines and take the necessary measures to protect their own health and that of the public.