August school opening safe – Duque

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said it is still safe to open the classes in August.

During the Senate health committee hearing, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, committee chair, asked the Department of Health (DoH) chief on whether or not it would be advisable to resume classes amid the lingering COVID-19 outbreak.

Go cited President Duterte’s statements on Monday night that he would not allow the new school year to open until there is vaccine that would assure that school children are really safe.

“Pag-aaralan po natin [nang] maigi ito, pero sa ngayon po, tingin namin, ay ligtas kung bubuksan ang klase by August 24,” Duque, who is one of the chairpersons of the the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), told the Senate panel thru video conference.

“Kinakailangan na ang lahat ng ating minimum standards for health ay nakatalaga,” he added.

Duque said the health standards include physical distancing measures, encouraging frequents handwashing among schoolchildren and use of alcohol and sanitizers, and regular disinfection of classrooms.

He said schools could also adopt thermal scanning in entrances, and advise parents not to send their children to schools if sick.

Duque said he also believes that the Department of Education (DepEd) has “strong” programs to make sure that the minimum health standards would be met.

Online learning alternatives could also be used to lessen volume in schools.

The DoH, he said, will continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases down to the barangays.

Schools in barangays with cases of coronavirus transmission shall be included in the quarantine measures and shall not open classes, he said.

Duterte was not very keen on reopening the classes until the safety of students is guaranteed by a vaccine. (Vanne Terrazola)