LESSON FOR THE DAY A teacher at General Roxas Elementary School in Quezon City prepares her students for the
day’s lessons in this photo taken in February 2024. President Bongbong Marcos said no teachers will retire as Teacher 1 with a new system in place. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) will launch a nationwide school-based immunization program on October 7, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said on Tuesday.
In a Palace briefing, Herbosa said the Bakuna-Eskwela program will pave the way for the vaccination of children in the first, fourth, and seventh grades against HPV, measles, Rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.
“We will do the launch on October 7, pero every Friday for the month of October, puwedeng magpabakuna ang mga batang gustong magpabakuna sa lahat ng eskuwelahan ng DepEd (Department of Education),” he said.
(We will do the launch on October 7, but every Friday for the month of October, children who want to be vaccinated can get vaccinated at all DepEd schools.)
Asked why the DOH chose children in the first, fourth, and seventh grades to receive the immunization, Herbosa explained that it was for children who may have missed vaccinations, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Students in grades four and seven are targeted for the HPV vaccination.
“Iyong Grade 7 is before they become sexually active, iyong HPV [vaccine] kasi has to be given before they become sexually active and Grade 4,” Herbosa explained.
(Because the HPV vaccine has to be given before they become sexually active, so we chose students in grades four and seven.)
Herbosa said that even though the immunization program will be launched in public schools, private school students are also welcome.
“If there are kids of that age, kahit nasa private school sila iyong malapit, I will make sure that the program will not refuse any child. Kahit nandoon sila sa nearby na private school, babakunahan din natin … I’ll coordinate with [Education Secretary Sonny] Angara about this,” he said.
(If there are kids of that age, even if they are in a private school nearby, I will make sure that the program will not refuse any child. Even if they are there in the nearby private school, we will also vaccinate them… I’ll coordinate with Education Secretary Sonny Angara about this.)
However, Herbosa stressed that vaccination is not mandatory, and parental consent will still be required from students.
“Ang usual process namin ‘pag may nag-refuse na parent, iyong health workers na namin ang pumupunta at ini-interview o tinatanong bakit ayaw magpabakuna, and then we try to convince them,” he added.
(Our usual process is when a parent refuses, our health workers will go to them to interview or ask why they don’t want their child to be vaccinated, and then we will try to convince them.)
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