CHED eyes use of academic facilities in gov't vaccination program

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Prospero De Vera III will discuss with the Department of Health and other higher education institutions (HEIs) about using their facilities for the government's vaccination program.

In an interview during the Laging Handa public briefing, De Vera said the retrofitting of colleges and universities is not for the sole purpose of allowing them to conduct limited face-to-face classes, but also to be used as vaccination hubs.

"Ngayong alas dos ng hapon, uupo ako kasama ng DOH at yung lagpas 30 pa na mga universities na nag-retrofit para pag-usapan kung paano pwedeng gamitin yung kanilang facilities sa expanded vaccination program," he said.

(At 2 o'clock this afternoon, I will sit with the DOH and the over 30 universities who have already made retrofitting to talk about how their facilities can be used for the expanded vaccination program.)

"Kapag nakapag-retrofit na yung isang pamantasan, sigurado tayo sa kaligtasan niyan kasi meron na silang signages, meron na silang health protocols, nakadistansya na yung mga upuan, at meron silang facilities tulad ng gym nila na pwedeng gamitin sa pangmaramihan na vaccination," he added.

(Once a university is retrofitted, we can be assured of their safety because they already have signages, they have health protocols, there is distancing in their seats, and they have facilities like gyms which can be used for mass vaccination.)

De Vera earlier said that 24 HEIs in the country can conduct limited face-to-face classes for medical and allied health courses effective second semester this academic year 2020-2021 after fully complying with the guidelines of the commission and the DOH.

He explained that these institutions have been allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes as early as January, when President Rodrigo Duterte gave it his go-signal.

Limited physical classes in areas with the NCR Plus bubble, however, were suspended when the enhanced community quarantine was reimposed, he added.

De Vera said university officials and local governments were advised to continuously discuss ways on how to control the spread of COVID-19 in these institutions during the conduct of limited face-to-face classes.

He pointed out that once a student gets infected with the disease, limited face-to-face classes in that university will be suspended altogether.

De Vera also assured parents of the safety of their children while limited face-to-face classes are being conducted.

The Philippines on Monday reported a record 10,016 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total tally to 731,894. This the highest recorded daily case count since the pandemic began. —KBK, GMA News