Pediatric vaccination ‘vital’ to reintroduction of in-person classes – DepEd

Education Secretary Leonor Briones. PRESIDENTIAL FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday stressed the importance of the pediatric vaccination on the reintroduction of face-to-face classes, as the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a statement the vaccination drive for children aged five to 11 is “vital to the gradual reintroduction of face-to-face classes and the general welfare of Filipino learners.”

“We are passionately committed to this program of vaccination, especially for the children, since we believe that the future of our learners is related to well-being, mental health, and physical health,” said Briones.

“We cannot achieve and move to new forms and ways of teaching unless our children are healthy,” she added.

DepEd then issued DepEd Task Force COVID-19 Memorandum No. 606, which stated the agency’s support to the Pediatric Vaccination of children aged five to 11.

The said memorandum stated that the five to 11 pediatric vaccination drive is an “essential component” of the ongoing efforts to accelerate the nationwide expansion of face-to-face classes.

Meanwhile, under the same memo, students who are scheduled to get vaccinated during school days are excused from attending classes. They are, however, required to present their vaccination cards to their teachers after vaccination for verification.

Furthermore, all DepEd personnel, especially concerned school health personnel and information officers, are encouraged to support the vaccination drive and disseminate information to increase the confidence in immunization among children.

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