FOR FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES; KIDS’ VACCINATION NOT COMPULSORY

ILOILO City – Learners participating in face-to-face classes are not required to be vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 clarified.

Therefore, leaners are not being required, too, to present COVID-19 vaccination cards, stressed Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer of DepEd-6.

He, however, said the Education department is “encouraging” learners to get vaccinated to be protected against COVID-19.

Sixty schools in Region 6 resumed face-to-face classes. Fifteen of these were the pilot schools identified as early as last year for limited face-to-face classes. The 45 others were in the expanded list of DepEd-6 for schools eligible for face-to-face classes.

According to Escullar, as of March 3, 92,512 learners in Region 6 aged 12 to 17 years old were deemed fully vaccinated already against COVID-19 while 64,185 more received their first dose and were waiting for their second dose to be considered fully vaccinated, too.

For the 2021-2022 school year, DepEd-6 registered 806,842 learners aged 12 to 17 years old in public and private schools.

On Wednesday, Education secretary Leonor Briones said vaccination learners “is voluntary kasi ang parents ang magdi-decide diyan.”

DepEd has a similar policy with the Department of Health regarding the need for the consent of parents on pediatric vaccination, Briones stressed

In Western Visayas, according to Escullar, pediatric vaccination for 12 to 17 years old is low due to “hesitancy sa part sang parents (or) may comorbidities ang bata.”

He also said DepEd-6 has on data yet on the region’s pediatric vaccination for five to 11 years old learners.

Meantime, teaching and non-teaching personnel who participate in face-to-face classes are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Unvaccinated personnel who need to report to school must be tested for COVID-19 and be able to submit negative test result./PN