DOH not recommending COVID tests for teachers, students for in-person classes

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire talks with reporters via Zoom meeting in this file photo taken on April 23, 2020. INQUIRER.net file photo / Daphne Galvez

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is not recommending the regular COVID-19 testing for teachers, students and non-teaching personnel who will be participating in the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday said the government would still follow its risk-based testing protocols, where only those with symptoms will be isolated and tested for the coronavirus.

“We still follow our risk-based testing protocols. We do not recommend the regular testing of students and even teachers and non-teaching personnel to be tested in order for them to be able to go to the schools,” she said in an online media briefing.

The DOH and Department of Education has signed a joint memorandum circular which provides guidelines for the implementation of limited in-person classes in the basic education sector.

Among key guidelines is requiring school personnel be fully vaccinated before participating in the pilot run and setting a cap of students allowed to attend face-to-face classes.

Students’ attendance must likewise be voluntary and have the consent of their parents.

Vergeire said the government is also drafting separate guidelines or contingency plans for when a student or a teacher will get infected by COVID-19.

“We are now anticipating that if ever there would be infections, we will be able to manage because of the protocols we are going to institute,” she said.

A total of 120 schools — 100 public schools and 20 private schools — are set to participate in the pilot run for in-person classes. The DepEd did not yet give an exact date when the class would start.

On Sept. 20, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the holding of limited face-to-face classes in areas with minimal risk for COVID-19.

The government was supposed to hold the pilot run for in-person classes earlier this year but President Rodrigo Duterte canceled this over the emergence of more infectious COVID-19 variants.

JPV