The resumption of in-person classes in the collegiate level in areas with low risk of COVID-19 infection is still up in the air due to low COVID-19 vaccination coverage among students, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Friday.
CHED Chairperson Prospero de Vera, Jr. said vaccination coverage among college students is only at a paltry 27%.
“Our COVID-19 vaccination coverage is still low at 27%. Hindi natin puwedeng isugal ang kalagayan ng mga estudyante kapag mababa pa…” (We cannot risk the welfare of the students with such low vaccination coverage,” De Vera said during the Laging Handa briefing.
“We want all students, or at least, 70 to 95% [vaccine coverage], De Vera added.
Also, he said that an area with low risk for COVID-19 infection should be complemented with high vaccination coverage among students and faculty members for the resumption of in-person classes to be considered.
Last March 1, the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program rolled out, but the college students’ inoculation only began this week, since they were only recently bumped higher on the priority list from B1 to A4, or those belonging to the essential sector.
“We are still drafting guidelines and we’ll see how this will play out if this resumption of in-person classes in low risk areas can be done by January,” he added.
Based on government records, there are only at least 24.8 million Filipinos who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far, way behind the target of fully vaccinating 80% of the 109 million Filipinos by May 2022. —LBG, GMA News
In-person classes uncertain with low student vax coverage –CHED
Source: Pinoy Hub News
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