By Alec Go
The Department of Education (DepEd) said the COVID-19 vaccination of minors has yet to be discussed and will be based on the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Department of Health (DOH).
This is amid the expanded vaccination rollout in the country and the global developments on pediatric sector vaccination.
DepEd said on June 14 that it is currently focused on the National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) and on encouraging its personnel to get vaccinated in preparation for limited face-to-face classes.
“Should the President and the IATF allow limited face-to-face classes based on the gains of our COVID-19 mitigation efforts, DepEd shall still employ stringent conditions and safety protocols in our field offices and schools,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, several leaders from the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have called for the safe resumption of face-to-face learning.
Dr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO Director for the Western Pacific, and Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific said in a joint opinion piece that prolonged school closures have taken a toll on children’s physical and mental health.
“The evidence shows increases in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among school-aged children since the start of the pandemic,” they said.
“Children who are not in the classroom also experience increased loneliness, difficulty concentrating, and high levels of learning anxiety. These problems will only grow worse the longer schools remain closed,” they added.
They also called for “sustainable new normal,” noting that reopening schools are “not dependent” on vaccine availability. -rir
