MANILA, Philippines ? The health and education departments should suspend classes nationwide for a specific period to halt the spread of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, instead of selective suspension, a lawmaker said.

Muntinlupa Representative Rufino Biazon said the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DoH) should ?once and for all suspend classes for a specific period of time to contain the spread of the virus.?

?Selective suspension leaves opportunity for the virus to be passed on. One infected student may infect another who may in turn pass it on to another before he exhibits symptoms,? Biazon said in a text message.

Biazon cited the case of Mexico, which shut down part of its economy to slow down the spread of the virus.

He said that while cases in the Philippines were mild, the rapid spread should be a major concern for authorities.

Gabriela partylist Representative Luz Ilagan, a member of the committee on basic education and culture, called on the DepEd and the DoH to coordinate closely on how the A(H1N1) cases would be dealt with in schools.

A number of schools which have found positive cases of the virus have suspended classes for about a week. DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus, however, said that there was no need to shut down the entire school, but instead suspend classes of the section affected by the virus.

?One swallow does not make a summer, so there is no need to cancel en masse,? Ilagan said. ?The decision should be based on prudent, wise and case-to-case basis.?

Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez said the judgment of the DoH should prevail on how best to contain the spread of the virus in schools.

?I think it should be the DoH's opinion that should prevail, unless this policy position is overridden in the crisis management committee where all aspects, not only health, are considered,? Golez said.