MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday it has not recorded an uptick of COVID-19 cases among the pediatric population since Aug. 22, the start of School Year 2022-2023 that saw a widespread resumption of in-person classes.

Health Undersecretary Beverly So said the DOH remained supportive of in-person classes but also recognizes that COVID-19 cases would be present due to increased mobility.

"Categorically speaking, when we are looking at the trends for pediatric population since Aug. 22, we didn't really see an uptick," Ho said in a press conference.

"But what is important for all of us is to recognize 2 things: one is klaro sa amin (it's clear to us) that the face-to-face learning is superior, not just for education but for the health, holistic development ng mga bata. So we're very supportive of that," she said.

"Second is we need to recognize that as we go out of our houses, magkaka-uptick tayo (we will have an uptick). It's just a matter of time. But we want to reassure everyone, that's why we have technologies like vaccines."

Ho added that hospital admission rates have not increased.

"The more we go full blast face-to-face, it (number of cases) will really go up. Ang ayaw lang natin is tumaas iyong kaso tapos tumaas iyong admission. Pero kung tumaas iyong kaso at hindi tumaas iyong admission, we've done our job. We've protected ourselves enough from vaccines," she said.

(The more we go full blast face-to-face, it will really go up. What we don't want is the number of cases increasing alongside the hospital admission. But if the cases increase and hospital admission did not, we've done our job. We've protected ourselves enough from vaccines.)

Department of Education spokesman Michael Poa said his agency was still collating data on how many learners have been inoculated against COVID-19. The vaccination rate among teachers was at 92 to 96 percent, he said.

Poa reiterated that the DepEd does not "want to give conflicting figures to the public" when asked about the number of COVID-19 infections in schools, adding that the agency would defer the matter to local governments.

• 'Expected': DepEd monitoring COVID infections in schools

The DepEd and DOH continue to hold COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and counseling in schools to encourage more learners, parents and teachers to get the jab.

Ho said the DOH plans to conduct a supplemental immunization campaign during the first quarter of 2023 to address low routine immunization rates and prevent a possible measles outbreak.

• UN agencies warn of possible measles outbreak in PH in 2023, says DOH

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