The government plans to conduct preemptive checks at day cares starting next month to protect children against COVID-19.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters made the announcement Tuesday in a daily briefing on the pandemic.

Senior health official Yoon Tae-ho said quarantine authorities will conduct virus tests on some 300-thousand day care teachers and employees once a month starting in April.

The move was prompted by a recent series of small clusters centering on childcare facilities.