Gov’t urged to elevate vaccine priority of teachers

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said the rising number of COVID-19 infections among their ranks should compel the government to elevate teachers in the vaccine priority list and provide urgent medical assistance to them. ACT said there had been a marked increase in the number of infected teachers in the National Capital Region. “By all means, teachers should be considered front-line personnel in essential sectors as they deliver education amid the pandemic. Many of those infected have contracted the virus as they performed their duties—while reporting to schools, attending DepEd (Department of Education) seminars and doing home visitation,” Raymond Basilio, secretary general of ACT, said earlier this week. Under the government’s priority list, teachers are at the second tier after health workers, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities and front-line employees in essential sectors. —Mariejo S. Ramos