Teachers positive with COVID-19 in Ilagan city didn't get virus from distribution of modules - DepEd

The Department of Education (DepEd) in Cagayan Valley region has denied reports that teachers from Ilagan City in Isabela who tested positive for the coronavirus contracted the disease while distributing educational materials to students.

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DepEd Region II director Estela Leon-Cariño clarified that there are only 10 teachers that contracted Covid-19 in Ilagan, Isabela, and not 11 as earlier reported.

The Schools Division Office (SDO) of the City of Ilagan further clarifies that such unfortunate event has nothing to do whatsoever with the distribution of self-learning modules or any materials to that effect,

she added.

Leon-Cariño said the SDO plan clearly stated that the self-learning modules “shall be deposited by the schools at the drop-off points at the barangay halls” and that it was the barangay officials who distributed the materials, not the teachers.

Officials said that the first teacher to get infected has not developed symptoms and is undergoing quarantine at a local government isolation center. The other nine are also completing their mandatory two-week quarantine in another facility.

However, the department confirmed that all teachers belong in the same school and that nine of them were exposed to the first patient, who was infected by a neighbor.

The stricken teacher “reported because the rapid test came out negative. But after the swab, (it was) positive,” said DepEd, citing information from the regional office.

It is still unclear what the particular tasks the teachers were working on when they were exposed to their workmate.

Despite the incident, the regional office stressed that “precautionary measures were in place” to prevent the spread of the virus.

Teachers group urged the department to ensure medical support for teachers, especially those who have been asked to report to schools despite the default work-from-home arrangement policy.

Data released by DepEd last August showed that 823 students, teachers and non-teaching personnel within the agency have contracted the virus. Updated data have yet to be released.