CHED pushes for school-based vaccine sites

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson J. Prospero E. De Vera III visited school campuses in Iloilo City to push for school-based vaccination sites as part of preparations for the expansion of limited face-to-face classes.

De Vera emphasized that vaccinating students and faculty within schools is more convenient due to universities' large facilities which can be converted into vaccination centers, making it easier to monitor progress since they have a list of enrollees.

As of November 22, over 80,000 tertiary students in the Ilocos Region have been vaccinated against COVID-19, with CHED's target being a 70 percent vaccination rate by December for population protection.

Dr. Danilo Bose, CHED Ilocos Region chief education program specialist, stated that schools with high vaccination rates can start limited face-to-face classes in December, while others may begin in January or February 2022.

Bose also mentioned that over 90 percent of teaching and non-teaching personnel in tertiary schools across the region are vaccinated.