UP Diliman’s shift to online classes due to COVID-19 begins on Monday

The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and UP Integrated School on Thursday unveiled more details on its plan to hold classes online, which will start Monday next week, as a preventive measure against the further spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

"Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, UP Diliman (UPD) including UP Integrated School will be shifting to online classes," the university said in a Facebook post.

"This has been decided on after the meeting by the Office of the Chancellor Executive Staff and members of the UPD COVID-19 Task Force today, March 12, 2020," it added.

The university's plan to move toward online or e-learning was earlier revealed by UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo when he enumerated new guidelines to be observed in light of the COVID-19 scare.

In addition, UP Diliman said it will also transition to minimal workforce in all units starting Monday. An official memorandum for this development will be released.

Nemenzo earlier confirmed that a member of university community is being investigated for COVID-19.

According to Nemenzo, the said person under investigation (PUI) was screened at the University Health Service (UHS) on Monday after developing a high fever and has since been transferred to another hospital for testing.

“We assure you that in handling the PUI, all protocols were strictly followed, the patient was completely isolated from the rest of the UHS patients, and that the holding area was immediately disinfected,” Nemenzo said in a statement.

Nemenzo also said that the university administration has created a COVID-19 Task Force that will implement protocols and institutional mechanisms to combat the threat of the disease.

Last Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the suspension of classes in all levels in Metro Manila until Saturday amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the region.

In Quezon City alone, where UP Diliman is located, five cases of COVID-19 has so far been confirmed.

All in all, 52 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the country as of March 12. — MDM, GMA News