A lawmaker representing barangay health workers on Thursday, July 21, gave suggestions on how the Philippines can safely resume in-person classes starting Nov. 2 as ordered by the Department of Education (DepEd).

BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co said that barangay health workers and other healthcare frontliners should be deployed to schools to help administrators, teachers, and other school personnel in keeping the campuses free not only from Covid-19 but from other communicable diseases.

In a statement, the lawmaker asked local chief executives, barangay chairpersons, and the Department of Health (DOH) to deploy medical personnel to campuses now and in the coming weeks as the resumption of some face-to-face classes begin in some schools.

“Barangay health workers should help school principals protect students and teachers from the many health risks out there,” Co said, adding that the barangay health workers should get “additional honorarium or stipend” for this task.

“Schools and barangays will have to work together more now. Some kids going back to school would probably have difficulties involving social skills, mental health, undernourishment, lacking mandatory vaccines, on top of learning deficiencies because of two years of pandemic,” she stressed.

Co highlighted the need for Covid-19 response to focus on campuses because some schools have already resumed their in-person classes, while others are set to begin when the school year starts next month.

According to DepEd’s Department Order No. 34, all schools must be ready for in-person classes starting Nov. 2, except for select areas under special considerations.

READ: DepEd chief VP Sara eyes full face-to-face classes by November—Marcos

While she did not call for the mandatory vaccination of students, particularly minors, Co said the “goal” should be to have all students “vaxxed and boosted” because primary doses and booster shots are the “best defense” against Covid-19.

“Teachers and other personnel who are not vaxxed but required to report for work could have movements limited to a separate building on campus. They could also have less work days on campus and more work at home,” she suggested, adding that public transport, especially tricycle drivers, should also be vaccinated.

“DepEd should be transparent on the vax status of their personnel and students on a per school basis. There should be weekly public reporting from each school principal up to the DepEd central office.”

To prevent the transmission of Covid-19 in the classroom, Co said that students with symptoms should be sent home and placed in isolation.

She also wants DepEd to remove the plastic barriers in classrooms because these impede ventilation and circulation of air.

Instead, the lawmaker asked schools to open the windows and remove all curtains.

Co also raised concerns on other transmissible diseases, such as measles, flu, mumps, sore eyes, dengue, leptospirosis, and others.