DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools | ABS-CBN

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DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools

DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Oct 24, 2022 03:30 PM PHT

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Students arrive for their class at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
Students arrive for their class at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — How many students have been infected with COVID-19 since the return of face-to-face classes?

A public health expert is urging the Department of Education to release data on the number of COVID-19 infections in schools, weeks before the resumption of full in-person classes in public schools that continues to raise health and safety concerns.

In an online press conference on Monday, Dr. Tony Leachon said DepEd should be transparent with the data, which could help schools and their communities respond better in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks.

"I think for the safety of the kids, we need to be transparent about our data," said Leachon, former adviser to the government's task force against COVID-19.

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"Wala naman may gusto na hindi pumasok but how can we protect ourselves if we are not empowered, educated and engaged about our data?" he added.

(Nobody wants our students to not go to school but how can we protect ourselves if we are not empowered, educated and engaged about our data?)

Leachon said he expects the number of COVID-19 cases to be "underreported" since the Department of Health only counts positive RT-PCR test results.

"The report right now by the Department of Health ... may be underreported kasi ang nire-report lang, usually 'yong RT-PCR [tests]. I think ang mode of diagnosis natin ay rapid antigen tests, so I expect na underreported 'yan," he said.

(The report right now by the Department of Health... may be underreported because what they report now are usually results of RT-PCR tests. I think the mode of diagnosis for many of us are the rapid antigen tests, so I expect the those numbers are underreported.)

DepEd has yet to respond to ABS-CBN News' request for a comment on the matter.

COVID COUNT UP TO LGUS

DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa previously said it was up to the local governments to publicly issue data on COVID-19 cases in schools, saying the agency does not "want to give conflicting figures."

Some local governments have reported COVID-19 infections since the start of School Year 2022-2023 last Aug. 22, which saw many schools reopen for in-person classes.

In Mati City, for instance, 19 students and 4 teachers from 8 schools have caught the virus from Aug. 22 to Oct. 15, according to the local government.

The DepEd has ordered all public schools to return to 5 days of in-person classes beginning Nov. 2. Private schools, meanwhile, may choose to implement full face-to-face instruction, full distance learning or blended learning beyond the said date.

The agency stood by its plan for public schools to resume full in-person classes even after the Philippines recently detected cases of the new COVID-19 variant XBC and subvariant XBB.

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