
The Department of Health (DOH) clarified that Covid-19 vaccination in selected schools will still continue.
DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that the order No. 037 issued by the Department of Education (DepEd) is only prohibiting the use of classrooms as vaccination sites.
"This does not preclude the Department of Education and the schools to set up vaccination sites within the premises of the schools," said Vergeire during a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 2.
"So, hindi po titigil ang bakunahan sa mga eskwelahan. Klinaklaro natin at klinaro naman ng DepEd—ayaw lang natin na yung mismong silid aralan hindi nagagamit sa pag-aaral ng mga bata (The vaccination activities in schools will not be stopped. We are clarifying this after clarifying with DepEd. We just don't want that classrooms to not be used by children for their learning)," she added.
Vergeire said it is important to continue the vaccination activities in schools to further encourage more people to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
“(This is so) we can encourage more of our students and their parents na magpabakuna sila (to get vaccinated),” she said.
Before the resumption of face-to-face classes last Aug. 22, the DOH had set up more than 3,000 vaccination sites in schools nationwide.
Based on the DOH report, more than 76 million Filipinos have been fully-vaccinated against Covid-19. This figure includes the 9.9 million adolescents and 4.7 million children, aged five to 11, who have completed their two-dose primary vaccination series.
Meanwhile, over 18 million individuals have received their first booster shot and almost three million people have already got their second booster dose.
To note, individuals aged 12 years old and above are allowed to receive the first booster shot. The second booster shot is only for 50 years old and above, people aged 18 to 49 with comorbidities, immunocompromised adults, and health workers.