CEBU CITY – To ensure safety and give students and their parents the peace of mind, the vaccination drive for college students on Friday, October 22, kicked off in various universities here following the return of limited face-to-face classes.

Maximo Aljibe, regional director of the Commission on Higher Education-Central Visayas (CHED 7), said 16 programs have resumed holding in-person classes.

Last February, limited face-to-face classes were allowed to resume for medicine, nursing, medical technology, physical therapy, midwifery and public health courses.

Then last August, more courses were allowed to hold face-to-face classes namely, speech language pathology, clinical dentistry, respiratory therapy, experiential pharmacy and radiology technology.

Also given the go signal to resume face-to-face classes were the marine engineering, marine transportation, engineering and other technology programs such as hospitality hotel and restaurant management and travel and tourism management.

It was reported that out of the 308,000 college students in Region 7, only 61,000 have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine.

Aljibe clarified that non-vaccinated students will not be prevented from joining limited in-person classes.

The ceremonial vaccination was held at the University of Cebu Senior High School Building-Banilad Campus.

One of the vacinees, Cycle Cyrille Layague, a marine engineering student, welcomed the start of the vaccination drives.

“We welcome this because face-to-face classes are really different, we will learn more," Layague said.

Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, Officer-in-Charge of the Cebu City Health Department, said students who wish to be vaccinated can receive the vaccine in any of the city's eight inoculation sites.

Students will have to register through pabakunata.com and present their identification cards at vaccination sites.

Walk-ins will also be allowed, said Ibones.