Gov’t might consider face-to-face classes in areas with minimal risk of COVID-19 infection

The Department of Health (DOH) said that the government might consider the resumption of face-to-face classes once there is "minimal" risk for both students and teachers to contract Covid-19.

Photo credit: tempo.com.ph

There must be a reduced risk of transmission of COVID-19 in communities in the coming months for in-person classes to resume said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

When we come to the point that the risk to health, especially for our kids and the teachers, would be lessened and would just be minimal, we may come to a decision by the IATF (Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) that face-to-face learning can already be resumed,

Vergeire said

For now, the Department of Education (DepEd) is pursuing the use of modules and online classes to reduce the possibility of infection to students and teachers.

However, the first week of classes faced a lot of problems from accessibility and connectivity issues and some mistakes on the printed self-learning modules. Also, some parents and students posted in social media their frustrations.

Vice President Leni Robredo earlier asked DepEd to consider holding in-person classes in areas where there are no or few cases of COVID-19 due to the education system’s limitations, particularly in far-flung areas.

For the past two weeks, there were only four regions in the country that continue to report new cases in the thousands, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Western Visayas.

Under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidance to governments, classes in areas where there are no or infrequent cases of COVID-19 may reopen provided that prevention and control measures against the spread of the virus are implemented.

Decisions on full or partial closure or reopening should be taken at a local administrative level, based on the local level of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the local risk assessment, as well as how much the reopening of educational settings might increase transmission in the community. Shutting down educational facilities should only be considered when there are no other alternatives,

WHO said.