BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division in Negros Occidental encourages parents to have their children vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before new school year 2022-2023 starts this Aug. 22, with full face-to-face classes by November.
From August to October of this year, according to DepEd-NegOcc spokesperson Ian Arnold Arnaiz, their office will concentrate on preparing public schools for the eventual resumption of in-person classes.
Based on initial information they received, areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 will be allowed to hold F2F classes.
Since COVID-19 had yet to disappear or declared as endemic, all of the teachers and students are being reminded not to be complacent.
Majority of the teachers in the province have already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but vaccination rates among minors are still low.
Arnaiz advised parents to have their children vaccinated for additional protection against COVID-19.
Earlier, DepEd Negros Occidental Schools Superintendent Marsette Sabbaluca revealed the towns of E.B. Magalona, Don Salvador Benedicto, Pontevedra, Toboso, and Valladolid were ready for the resumption of full face-to-face classes.
As of July 12, 252 of the 581 public elementary schools and 10 of the 117 private schools were ready for in-person learning.
On Tuesday, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson met with Sabbaluca and Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, to discuss the readiness of public schools for in-person classes.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., earlier said he wanted local government units to conduct a large-scale immunization drive for booster shots targeting school children so they can safely go back to school either August or September.
Marcos revealed the government’s plan to resume full capacity in-person learning by November this year.
The Philippines currently allows COVID-19 vaccination for persons aged five years old and up.
It recently released guidelines for additional doses for 12- to 17-year- olds./PN
