No classes until December? UP think tank says it will slow down COVID-19 spread

MANILA, Philippines — Suspension of classes until December this year will “greatly” reduce the transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the head of a think tank from the University of the Philippines (UP) said Tuesday.

UP Resilience Institute head Mahar Lagmay explained that persons who are younger or are from the age group of 0 to 19 years old make the most physical interaction according to studies.

“Nung tiningnan din po ang mga numbers ng mga schools, interaction rather ng different age groups, yung 0 o 19 years old, yung mga matatanda, nakita po dun sa models na yung interaction ay pinaka malaki kapagka yung mga bata ang nag iinteract,” Lagmay said in an online Palace briefing.

(When the number of schools or interactions of different age groups was looked into, between those from 0 to 19 years old age groups and the older ones, it was found out that the most interactions made based on models are the younger ones.)

“Kapag tayo ay walang klase, ito po ay nirerekomenda, ‘pag walang klase hanggang December ay malaki po ang maibabawas natin sa transmission ng COVID-19,” he added.

(If we do not have classes, and this is being recommended, if there are no classes until December, there will be a big decrease in the transmission of COVID-19.)

Classes in all levels have been suspended since March to complement the strict quarantine measures implemented by the government.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd)s said stakeholders and experts were leaning towards holding off the opening of classes until August as the COVID-19 crisis continues.