DOH doesn’t recommend class suspensions amid coronavirus threat

MANILA, Philippines — The declaration of class suspensions is not necessary for now despite the threats brought by the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

“As of today, we are sublevel 1 of code red, and that is not being recommended,” Health chief Francisco Duque III said in a press briefing.

The DOH raised its COVID-19 alert system to Code Red, sub-level 1 after it confirmed the country’s first case of local transmission, involving a 59-year-old woman, who is the wife of a 62-year-old patient who is the fifth case of COVID-19 in the country.

Code Red, sublevel 1, according to the DOH, serves as a preemptive call “to ensure that national and local governments and public and private health care providers can prepare for a possible increase in suspected and confirmed cases.”

“So hindi po tama na ‘yun ay gagawin sa ngayon (So it’s not right to do that as of now.),”  he added.

“There will be triggers that will make the DOH recommend part of the sublevel 2 under Code Red, so meron na po tayong protocol patungkol dyan (we already have protocols regarding that).”

This comes after Navotas City suspended classes from Kindergarten to college level in public and private schools due to the coronavirus threat.

Asked about this, Duque said: “Hindi siguro dapat ginawa muna ‘yun (I think they shouldn’t have done that), but that’s their decision being covered under the local government code.”

Edited by MUF