The Department of Education-Cordillera is encouraging teachers and non-teaching personnel to get vaccinated in time for the possible resumption of face-to-face classes.
DepEd-Cordillera Director Estela Cariño said the agency is conducting series of information campaign on the importance of vaccination through various platforms in line with the agency’s “Vacc2School” campaign.
“Be vaccinated, that’s your gift to yourself and we have to believe whether you are vaccinated or not, the virus is still out there. Take the opportunity while the vaccines are free,” Cariño said during last week’s press forum.
DepEd-Cordillera Medical Officer, Angeline Calatan, said the vaccination acceptability of school teachers and staff in the region varies per division.
She said there is a zero to 35 percent refusal for vaccination based on their initial survey of teaching and non-teaching staff in the division offices.
Calatan said the reasons cited for refusal are the fear of the vaccine’s side effects, having comorbidities, pregnancy, and preference in vaccines.
The different schools division offices are exerting efforts to convince and non-teaching personnel who initially refused to be vaccinated to reconsider their decision.
She said teachers are under the A4 category and master listing is ongoing in coordination with the local government units.
DepEd-Cordillera has a teaching staff of 17,007; related teaching staff of 1,438; and non-teaching staff of 1,973.
Calatan said DepEd-Cordillera is aiming for a vaccination rate of 70 percent to reach herd immunity. – Ofelia C. Empian
