DEPED, DOH PARTNER UP TO BATTLE MEASLES IN SCHOOLS

LORA D. LOPEZ

In light of the measles outbreak, something must be done at the school level to address the issue. This is why the Departments of Education and Health have partnered up to create a task force.

This task force, according to reports, will be focused on kids who are among the most susceptible to the disease.

Guidelines will be set for the conduct of immunization activities which is part of the outbreak response. Coordinating mechanisms in schools will also be created to strengthen information dissemination.

The DepE’s task will be to gather data on measles cases in schools, monitor absent students and facilitate the evaluation of children’s vaccination status.

Children will then be categorized as vaccinated, unvaccinated, or “doubtful” of vaccination status.

The DOH, for its part, will be providing the DepEd with information on measles and measles vaccination in schools. It will also create guidelines on the declaration of school holidays in areas with outbreaks.

It will also advise the DepEd that in case students show symptoms of measles, they should refrain from going to school.

A mass immunization campaign is now being mounted by government agencies until March, it was learned.

The target of the DOH is the vaccination of some 12 million people, and of this number, some 7 million are children from kindergarten to Grade 7.

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The author is Teacher II at Carmencita Elementary School

Floridablanca, Pampanga