DOH tells students to keep mask on, use alcohol as distancing impossible in classrooms

Acknowledging that maintaining social distancing in classrooms will be "impossible," the Department of Health (DOH) advised students to keep their mask on, wash hands, sanitize with alcohol and check their temperature while inside the campus.

“We are going to live with the virus kailangan po tayong lahat ay magkaroon ng commitment para proteksyunan ang ating sarili, pati na rin yung ating mga anak,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Chino Gaston's report on "24 Oras."

“Yun pong physical distancing sa loob ng kwarto matagal na pong napagusapan ng DepEd at DOH yan talagang impossible yan ipatupad kaya ang sabi natin kailangan if we cannot implement the physical distancing, the other measures should be in place,” she added.

The Health department also encouraged parents and students to get vaccinated against the viral disease.

Vergeire said teachers and non-teaching personnel who will interact with the children must be vaccinated.

“Dapat bakunado ang lahat ng teachers at non-teaching personnel na haharap at magiinteract sa mga bata and of course to encourage ang mga magulang na pabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak pati na rin ang mga guro na hindi pa nagpapabakuna,” she said.

The DOH said schools must appoint trained and safety officers to ensure that health safety protocols must be followed.

The Department of Education said it is constantly coordinating with the DOH in putting in place protocols to keep the students safe ahead of the return of face-to-face classes on August 22.

“Nandoon pa rin yung basic protocol katulad ng facemask, scanner, at alcohol tapos handwash tapos may isolation room kami just in case madetect ang bata eh may lagnat,” Eladio Escolano, school principal of Bataan Hills National Highschool, said.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News