Vergeire: DOH to set up COVID-19 vaxx sites only in highly populated and nearby schools

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said it will set up COVID-19 vaccination sites only in highly populated and nearby schools in order to ensure the accessibility of vaccines for students amid the reopening of face-to-face classes.

At the press briefing, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said they will choose schools that are strategic where children from other schools nearby can also get vaccinated.

“Unang una yung vaccination sites natin sa schools, it does not necessarily mean lahat ng eskwelahan sa buong bansa lalagyan natin, that is not going efficient for government. So ang gagawin natin, pipili tayo ng mga eskwelahan, na highly populated ang community para doon natin siya ise-set up,” Vergeire said.

(Our vaccination sites in schools, it does not necessarily mean that we will put all the schools in the whole country, that is not going to be efficient for our government. So what we're going to do is we're going to choose schools that are highly populated in the community so we're going to set it up there.)

“Pipili rin tayo ng mga eskwelahan na strategic kung saan yung ibang eskwelahan na malapit doon, maaari ring pumunta para doon sila makapagpabakuna,” she added.

(We will also choose schools that are strategic where other schools nearby can also go so that they can get vaccinated there.)

Vergeire said there are 3,131 vaccination sites in schools already placed and these will be increased to encourage the parents to have their children inoculated against the viral disease.

Unvaccinated teachers to teach in face-to-face classes

Meanwhile, Vergeire said the Department of Education (DepEd) has the “authority” over schools after the department allowed unvaccinated teachers to teach in classrooms during the resumption of face-to-face classes on August 22.

“The DepEd also has the authority over who they will be designating or assigning to take of our children. Wala naman po sa protocols ng bansa natin na sinasabi kapag hindi ka bakunado hindi ka na puwedeng gawin ang iyong trabaho (There is no protocols in the country that says if you are not vaccinated you cannot do your job),” she said.

The DOH OIC, however, encouraged those who will interact with children to be vaccinated to prevent spread of the viral disease.

“Ang sa atin lang (For us), we highly encourage all of those who are going to interact with children to be vaccinated for better protection ng ating kabataan (of the children),” she said.

“Ngayon po may ganitong polisiya (Now this policy), we leave it to the DepEd to ensure that even though they are going to deploy these unvaccinated teachers, they have to ensure that all safety protocols are in place so that we can be able to protect our children,” she added. 

DepEd Undersecretary Atty. Revsee Escobedo earlier said that some 37,000 teachers are still unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Of this number, 20,000 were committed to receiving the vaccine, while the remaining 17,000 were not.

Escobedo said that teachers who showed COVID-19 symptoms were advised to stay in their homes and get tested.

He added that teachers under quarantine have “excused leave with pay.” — RSJ, GMA News