Last November 5, a newspaper reported that nearly 4,000 students contracted COVID since September 1—considering that the mandated face-to-face classes have not started yet.
Back then, the Department of Health threw its support to the full implementation of F2F classes, noting that it has not registered any severe cases or deaths among students because of COVID-19.
The DoH said on November 4 that 4,000 students from different schools across the country have been infected with COVID-19. DoH OIC Maria Rosario Vergeire said that 3,939 school-age children have been infected with COVID-19 from Sept. 1 to Nov. 3. Schools opened and classes resumed nationwide on Aug. 22.
“There have been a number of infections among students during the time that we started opening the schools and having face-to-face classes,” Vergeire said stressing that all cases were mild infections.
“We have not registered any severe cases nor any deaths among students because of COVID-19. This is the reason why we continue to support the holding of face-to-face classes in public and private schools,” said Vergeire.
“It shouldn’t be a hindrance to continue the full implementation of face-to-face classes,” she added.
Vergeire cited the importance of physical presence in schools on the children’s mental health. “The benefits of face-to-face classes would outweigh the number of mild infections that were experienced by our students as this would be good for their mental health,” Vergeire said.
Earlier this week, the Department of Education began the full implementation of face-to-face classes in all public schools, while private schools have been given the option to continue blended learning.
Another report today said most private schools have not gone on F2F classes but preferred to engage in blended learning. Very wise of them, I should say.
It is reckless for the DepEd to be forcing the holding of F2F—despite protestation from the ACT Partylist, which has its foot on the ground-- while the top DepEd official making the orders is merely riding enclosed comfortable vans or military helicopters every week going to her home province, when she is supposed to rule from the National Capital Region.
Of all people, why expose the little children—sixth grade and below—to potential infections that their classmates unknowingly bring to their cramped classrooms, which is usually poorly-ventilated.
And mind you most public schools in the country have also very poor hygiene facilities and water from the toilets are stored in drums with only a tabo for the students to flash the toilet bowls.
For one, the water stored in drums are a natural habitat for dengue-bearing mosquitoes—hence another source of epidemic—and the unclean toilets (esp. if they have feces) is a good breeding ground for cholera bacteria. No wonder we have a cholera epidemic—happening in several regions of the country. Would you still be wondering why.
There is no need for those investigations in aid of legislation at the Senate. All one must do is go around the public schools and the houses of schoolchildren and you will surely find the root causes of the cholera.
There is simply too much dirt and pollution in our waters, our air and our public school systems. What must be done is for school officials to declare a week of total clean-up of all school facilities, equip them with decent toilet facilities and lavabos for washing their hands and with hygiene comes the prevention from unwanted communicable (community) diseases.
We don’t need to always heed the business’ call for complete easing of safety protocols—they are after profits (from these consumers). After making profits, they don’t care if there is an epidemic, so long as they got their moneys to the bank. Greed, self-preservation and selfishness are the mantra of businessmen.