THE Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday said it is coordinating with the Department of Health for a mobile vaccination drive and counselling program to reach those who are still unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.
DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said it is part of the department’s overall effort to ensure the safety of teachers, non-teaching staff, and learners against the deadly coronavirus.
“We are coordinating with the DOH for the roll-out of a counselling session and mobile vaccination drive to reach the unvaccinated. Ilalapit na natin sa kanila (We will bring it to them),” Poa said in a press briefing.
President Marcos over the weekend asked students to complete their primary vaccines against and booster for those eligible so they will have better protection against COVID-19 when classes open this month.
The DepEd set the opening of classes for school year 2022-2023 on August 22, with face-to-face classes scheduled in November.
Poa stressed the DepEd is not calling for mandatory vaccination for teachers, non-teaching staff, and learners as a condition for them to attend classes.
“We are one with President Marcos in encouraging everyone to get vaccinated as well as their booster but vaccination is not mandatory in nature and we will not discriminate between those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated for learners, teachers and non-teaching staff,” Poa said.
But to ensure the safety of everyone, an “infection containment strategy” will be implemented in each school, he said. This means making sure schools are clean and properly ventilated, stagnant waters are cleared, alcohol and handwashing facilities are provided, and face masks are worn, among others.
Poa appealed to parents to monitor their children’s health, and asked them to have their children stay at home if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms.
Earlier, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said exemption from attending face-to-face classes can be given to “unwell” students or those diagnosed with COVID-19.
She said if the learner feels unwell, he or she can attend classes through the blended mode of learning, referring to the use of modules or online schooling.
BOOSTERS
The Department of Health said booster shots for children aged 5 to 11 years have not been proven to be necessary.
“The first two doses for 5-11 years old are still enough to protect them, especially against severe and critical illness,” DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a briefing on Tuesday.
“Until now, the evidence remains incomplete internationally and globally regarding booster shots for 5-11 years old,” she also said.
Another reason, Vergeire said, is the continued low coverage for COVID-19 vaccines among Filipino children, which is currently at 4.2 million.
“Before we focus on booster shots for 5-11 years old, we must first reach our target numbers. We are still looking at 60 percent from this eligible age group needing to be fully vaccinated,” she said.
Instead of pushing for booster shots for children, it would be better to focus on having more fully-vaccinated children.
“Let us first try to encourage the mothers and legal guardians to have their children vaccinated so that they will be safer when they go back to school,” said Vergeire.
All individuals aged 12 years and older are eligible for a first booster shot. Children aged 5 to 11 years are eligible only for the two-dose primary vaccines series.
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri urged government to ease vaccine eligibility requirements amid reports that vaccines worth billions are set to expire.
He said senators are asking government to give the expiring vaccines to the public, “whatever age or qualification they may have,”
“Let us ease the qualifications. The vaccines are to expire and we don’t want them to be wasted. Let us just them instead,” Zubiri said during the vaccination of Senate employees.
Vergeire on Tuesday said the COVAX Facility has agreed to replace all expired COVID-19 vaccines, including those bought by the private sector.
Vergeire said the replacement doses will be made available to the Philippines as soon as they are needed.
Last month, the private sector said vaccines worth about P5.1 billion worth are about to expire. — With Gerard Naval and Raymond Africa
