Gov’t planning pilot sites for face-to-face classes for children —Vergeire

The government is planning pilot sites for face-to-face classes for children as they would have the least risk of getting infected with COVID-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday.

At the PhilNAST online forum, Vergeire said the plan has already been discussed with child health experts, the Philippine Pediatric Society and the technical advisory group.

"The plan would be that we would start with the younger age group... because they would have the least risk of getting infected," Vergeire said.

The health official said they have also discussed the plan with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and is still awaiting its approval.

When they receive it, Vergeire, said they will propose the plan to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 response adviser and Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa Jr. said vaccination of teachers is dependent on the supply.

Advocacy groups have called for the resumption of face-to-face classes in areas where the risk of COVID-19 transmission is low.

Philippine Business for Education chairperson Ramon del Rosario Jr. said they believe a safe reopening of schools is achievable.

Last month, Duterte rejected the proposal of the Department of Education to hold limited face-to-face classes.

Duterte said he did not want to “gamble on the health of the children” as he underscored the importance of vaccination.

The president also apologized to the parents for his decision, but noted the risk of the Delta variant.

The health crisis has forced the country to shift to distance learning, which includes the use of modules and supplemented by broadcast and online classes. — BM, GMA News