The Department of Education (DepEd) urged students, with consent from their parents, to participate in the continuous vaccination drive of the national government --- which has expanded to the pediatric population.
“Vaccination is one of the essential keys towards protecting our communities and our children against the threats of COVID-19 ,” said Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones in a statement issued Monday, Jan. 24.
“With additional protection for our stakeholders, we can further implement our safe-return-to-schools initiatives while helping our economy recover,” she added.
DepEd also urged its field offices and schools to cooperate with their respective Local Government Units (LGUs) about the continuous vaccination drive for young children and education frontliners.
Citing Department of Health (DOH) Circular No. 2021-0483 or the Interim Operational Guidelines on the COVID-19 Vaccination of the Rest of the Pediatric Population (ROPP) Ages 12-17 Years Old, DepEd said ROPP ages 12-17 years old are allowed to receive COVID-19 vaccines starting last quarter of 2021.
“Minors ages 12-17 years old who will join the vaccination need to provide documents to prove their filiation and age such as a Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA),” DepEd said.
Secondary documents are also accepted, given that it is accompanied by a valid government ID of parent and recipient.
“Moreover, parents must also sign an informed consent,” DepEd added.
Meanwhile, DepEd Task Force COVID-19 (DTFC) said that existing arrangements on the use of schools as vaccination sites will be maximized.
DepEd added that schools that were previously used as vaccination sites are “highly encouraged to reopen for pediatric vaccination.”