SAN FERNANDO CITY – With more schools in Ilocos region opening for limited face-to-face classes, the Department of Education (DepEd)- Regional Office I continues to encourage more personnel and learners within the required pediatric population to be vaccinated.

As of March 14, there are 184,284 Kindergarten to Grade 12 learners or 14 percent of those enrolled this school year who are now fully vaccinated, according to reports from the Policy, Planning, and Research Division.

Nearly 20 percent or 207,473 learners have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In the DepEd-Regional Office I, 100 percent of its personnel are now fully vaccinated, months after the roll-out of the anti-COVID 19 vaccination campaign among the different sectors.

Also, 78 percent or 118 out of 151 personnel have received their booster shots.

Meanwhile, nearly 77 percent of all eligible teachers and non-teaching personnel in the region are fully vaccinated while 16.4 percent have received their first dose.

Medical Officer IV Romarie Joy Castillo reiterated that immunization protects the vaccinated population and their family members with co-morbidities by reducing the risk of spreading the disease.

She added, “DepEd reaffirms its strong support, especially for pediatric vaccination, and prioritizes the learners’ best interests as well as the welfare of its personnel.”

All 14 schools’ division offices in the region are conducting continuous health awareness activities and information drives to encourage personnel to be vaccinated.

DepEd-1 Regional Director Tolentino Aquino said that since the start of the roll-out, the Agency has been actively encouraging both teaching and non-teaching personnel to be vaccinated in preparation for the safe return to face-to-face classes.

Safety and health protocols against COVID-19 are also in place since 2020 when the pandemic started.

The DepEd Task Force COVID 19 Memorandum Nos. 327, 557, and 606 have been earlier released by the Department encouraging personnel to be vaccinated and providing support to the national immunization program of the government. #

By: Maricris Rimas (ESSD) and Joanna Diaz-Sabado (PAU)