Gov’t amping up pediatric COVID-19 vax for students’ return to schools by August —Vergeire

The Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday the government is amping up the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination so the students can safely return to school by August 2022 amid the pandemic.

“We are really trying to vaccinate our children so that they will be safe also when they go to school. I think by August for this next school year, the plan would be that schools will really open,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an ANC interview.

“We’ve started already with the pilot implementation for this face-to-face classes and the whole objective would be that eventually, by this next school year, everything will be starting,” she added.

The pilot testing of face-to-face classes started on November 15, 2021 in several areas in the country, in which 100 public schools—subject to strict health protocols—have participated in.

Meanwhile, several private schools from areas were deemed low risk for COVID-19 also started their own pilot face-to-face classes on November 22, 2021.

So far, only those in Kindergarten to Grade 3, as well as Senior High School, are included in the pilot run.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan earlier noted that more grade levels will be included in the conduct of expanded face-to-face classes.

The government is currently conducting a COVID-19 vaccination drive for minors aged five to 11, on top of the inoculation of those 12 to 17 years olds which started in November 2021.

Alert Level 1

Moreover, Vergeire said the people should have a transition mindset wherein they will try to move on and live with COVID-19 in the new normal or Alert Level 1–the lowest in the new alert level system.

She, however, said the fear of doctors on the easing to Alert Level 1 would be “expected and understandable,” but she assured the public that the sectors will not be opened up drastically without safety nets in place.

“We can't stay in lockdown forever. We can’t stay like this that all sectors or most of the sectors are closed. We need to go on and move on with our lives again,” she emphasized.

Under Alert Level 1, all establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it follows minimum health standards, except for those located in areas under granular lockdowns.

The National Capital Region (NCR), and several other areas, is under Alert Level 2 until the end of February.

Under Alert Level 2, certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults and minors, even if unvaccinated, and 70% capacity outdoors.

Should the country shift to Alert Level 1, Vergeire said that the government should also transfer its resources and efforts to enforce the health protocols and increase the vaccination drive.

“What would be retained would be the minimum public health standards that will be practiced by all individuals. This now turns into self regulation, not just for the community and individuals, but also for establishments and spaces,” she added.—AOL, GMA News