In preparation for the vaccine roll-out for the A4 (front-liners in other essential sectors) priority group likely in June, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) collaborated in a recent Town Hall Meeting of education front-liners to discuss the national inoculation program.
DepEd Task Force Covid-19 (DTFC) Chair and Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua shared their plans to further heighten the vaccination campaign.
He said Secretary Leonor Briones will issue a memorandum that will provide details as to how DepEd personnel can effectively engage in the implementation of the vaccination program.
“This town hall as well as your close involvement is an essential activity that will support our schools in complying with the said memorandum,” Pascua told participants from various regions.
Presided over by medical experts, the meeting shed light on the national vaccination deployment plan, development, selection, and approval process.
It also addressed concerns on acceptance and how school health personnel and teachers can participate in communicating key messages.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III encouraged participants to join the vaccine clusters in forwarding the right information to the public.
“Nakasalalay sa tagumpay ng bakuna laban sa Covid-19 ang tiwala ng ating mamamayan sa halaga ng bakuna bilang instrumento ng pagpapanatili ng magandang antas ng pampublikong kalusugan (The success of the vaccines against Covid-19 lies on the trust of the public and the belief that it will raise the level of public health),” Duque said.
Director Lope Santos III of the Bureau of Learner Support Services also urged school health personnel to remain updated on other meetings in the pipeline.
“There will be upcoming virtual workshops and meetings to further connect with all DepEd personnel and help in disseminating information on Covid-19 vaccines,” Santos said in his closing statement.
Various national and local webinars will also be conducted as part of the Department’s “Vacc2School: Ligtas na Bakuna Para sa Balik-Eskwela!” campaign, which aims to inform and engage the stakeholders in the promotion of vaccination and other related policies to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
The Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, “Explain, Explain, Explain” by the Philippine Information Agency, and the National Task Force Against Covid-19 assisted in the town hall discussions.
The meeting will be uploaded in the DepEd Learning Management System, allowing personnel to watch the meeting at their own pace and convenience. (PNA)
