ILOILO City – The city government plans to conduct coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in schools where face-to-face classes have resumed.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said the resumption of in-person classes is a good opportunity for pediatric vaccination against the coronavirus.
The vaccination for children between five to 11 years old here is low. City Health Office (CHO) data showed only 13,331 of them fully vaccinated – just 21 percent of the 61,872 target.
According to Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, CHO’s COVID-19 focal person, many working parents could not or do not have the time to accompany their children to rural health centers, thus the low vaccination rate.
Treñas acknowledged the necessity of coordinating with schools for the proposed school-based vaccination.
He also clarified that parents’ consent is needed for the vaccination of children between five to 11 years old.
As for children between 12 to 17 years old here, the vaccination is high at 94.88 percent of the 51,580 target population.
Data from the CHO showed 49,928 children within this age range now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a resolution dated May 12, the national government’s pandemic task force strongly encouraged public and private schools for basic education to conduct COVID-19 vaccination programs for their learners.
The task force said the school-based vaccination programs should be conducted “with the informed consent given and signed by the parent or guardian, and the assent given by the learner pursuant to applicable DOH guidelines.”
Treñas said the time has also come for the resumption of face-to-face classes because online class is not as effective as face-to-face class.
This is why the city government approved all requests for face-to-face classes as long as all the requirements or guidelines are complied with, he said.
“We have never denied a request for face-to-face classes,” stressed Treñas.
So far, four elementary and secondary schools in this southern city have been allowed to hold in-person classes. These are the Donato Pison Sr. Memorial School, Tabucan Elementary School and Jalandoni Memorial National High School which started face-to-face classes on June 3 and Navais-Borres Elementary School (beginning June 6)./PN
