The Department of Education (DepEd) said that learners who will participate in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination drive for the younger population aged five to 11 will be considered “excused” from attending their classes.
DepEd Bureau of Learner Support Services School Health Division Chief Dr. Maria Corazon C. Dumlao said that this move is part of the initiatives of the agency to support the pediatric vaccination of the government for the younger group set to start on Feb. 7.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2022/02/06/ph-all-set-to-vaccinate-kids-aged-5-11-vs-covid-19/
Dumlao said that “learners vaccinated during school days shall be excused from attending classes as part of the miscellaneous provisions.”
Meanwhile, Dumlao explained that personnel who are parents or guardians of DepEd learners who will accompany their children for pediatric vaccination during workdays “shall not be considered absent from their work.”
She added that in this case, alternative working arrangements may also be “explored for personnel of schools that are used as pediatric vaccination sites.”
Citing data from the National Vaccination Operation Center (NVOC) Daily Vaccination Report as of Jan. 31, Dumlao said that 15,564,305 children aged five to 11 years old are targeted for pediatric vaccination.
DepEd, she said, will continue to implement pediatric vaccination simultaneously with the current eligible priority groups.
It will also adhere to the interim omnibus guidelines and will implement the pediatric vaccination in a phased approach.
Dumlao explained that the master listing "will not be required" as the targets of each local government unit (LGU) will be based on the projected population of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
On the vaccination day, Dumlao also reminded that the vaccine recipient “shall be accompanied by a parent/guardian at the vaccination site.”
Likewise, she noted that the vaccination team shall also ensure that the vaccine recipient and his or her parent or guardian are “informed of the benefits, risks and possible side effects” of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines.
Dumlao said that after thorough health education to both the vaccine recipient and the parent/guardian, and before vaccine administration, the informed consent shall be given and signed by the parent/guardian, and the assent shall be given by the vaccine recipient. “Medical certification shall be required for the pediatric vaccine recipients with the certain comorbidities,” she added.
When it comes to institutional arrangements, Dumlao said that these will be established, and existing ones will also be “strengthened and expanded to cover pediatric vaccination.”
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