Says it’s for better protection when classes resume
PRESIDENT President Marcos Jr. (BBM) is again asking the public, particularly students, to complete their primary vaccines against COVID-19 and get booster shots so they will be better protected when classes open this month.
In a vlog released late Saturday, the President said at least 15.2 million students have enrolled for school year 2022-2023, and government is preparing for the resumption of the face-to-face classes which have been disrupted due to the coronavirus disease.
Classes, which will be a combination of face-to-face and online modes, are set to resume on August 22. Full, five-day face-to-face classes are expected to be implemented in all elementary and high schools by November.
Marcos Jr. said with proper preparations, the school opening will be successful.
“Una na riyan iyung panigurong nakapag-booster shot na ang lahat, lalong lalo na ang ating mga kabataan para siguradong handa ang pangangatawan nila sa pagbabalik eskwela (First of is ensuring that everyone has had booster shot, especially the young to ensure that their bodies are ready for the return to school),” he said.
He said latest data showed that 15.9 million Filipinos have received their COVID-19 booster shot, and 1.2 million their second booster.
Marcos said he wants a 100 percent booster rate. His government launched on July 26 the “LakasPinas” booster drive that seeks to vaccination efforts rollout closer to the people by setting up vaccination sites in public places such as transport terminals, schools, places of worship, and markets.
Currently, all adults and minors aged 12 to 17 years are eligible for a first booster while children aged five to 11 years are eligible for the two-dose primary vaccines.
Data from Department of Health as of August 6 showed that around 69.4 million have received their first dose while 71.89 million are fully vaccinated. About 6.587 million have received their first booster shots and 1.557 million their second booster.
Marcos reiterated his call for local government units to lead the rollout of the booster program to reach more people.
Marcos also said the resumption of face-to-face classes is expected to open up more economic activities like more public transportation, more establishments offering school supplies, and more food business operations.
Parents who devote their time monitoring their children during online classes would also have the chance to return to work, he said.
“Kapag ito ay naging matagumpay, hindi lang ito balik eskwela, kung di balik negosyo, balik hanapbuhay at balik kaunlaran. Ito’y masasabi ring malaking tulong sa malawakang kilusan natin nang pagbubukas ng ekonomiya (If this is successful, it’s not just back to school, but also back to business, back to work and back to progress. This will also be a big help in our drive to open up the economy),” he said.
The DOH and the Department of Education (DepEd) headed by Vice President Sara Duterte are finalizing guidelines for the establishment of COVID-19 vaccination sites in schools.
“We were able to talk to the Vice President. She asked that we already discuss what will be the strategy in holding vaccination activities in schools when we open up,” DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing last Friday.
Vergeire said Duterte’s directive is to make sure that the vaccination program would not hamper or delay the opening of schools.
She said Duterte also requested that the teachers be spared from any role during the vaccination rollout in schools.
“We will be coordinating with Department of Interior and Local Government so that local government healthcare workers will be the ones to do the vaccination as well as organize them in schools,” said Vergeire.
US DONATIONS
Vergeire also said the DOH is now more eager to administer COVID-19 jabs to school-aged children after the United States government donated more COVID-19 response items, including additional doses.
“With all the tools and resources we now have, we are capable of protecting our children and providing them the safe and much-needed face-to-face education that they deserve,” Vergeire said in a statement yesterday.
“The DOH will be closely working with the country’s LGUs to ensure all school-aged children will have access to the additional doses donated by the US government,” she added.
Vergeire said the United States has donated more than 33 million vaccine doses to the Philippines, through the COVAX Facility, since the start of the pandemic in 2020. These include COVID-19 vaccines of Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen. — With Gerard Naval
