The city People's Committee announced the decision Thursday, saying schools can be flexible with their specific conditions and open offline classes for ninth and 12th-graders, who need to take graduation exams.

Many schools across the city have already rushed to finish their final exams before May 9, about two weeks earlier than planned, following a direction from the municipal Department of Education and Training.

HCMC’s move would follow 18 other cities and provinces that have allowed students to stay home as new coronavirus outbreaks since last week sparked 64 community transmissions in 10 localities: Hanoi, Da Nang and HCMC and the provinces of Ha Nam, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Quang Nam, Dong Nai, Hai Duong, and Yen Bai.

HCMC has recorded only one Covid-19 case during the new wave so far.

But more than 90,000 students and teachers reportedly left the city during the four-day holiday last week, and 15 students have been quarantined after it was found out they shared a flight with a person diagnosed with Covid-19 in the neighboring Dong Nai Province.