key: cord-0696772-c3pz185n
authors: Sarmiento, Philip Joseph D; Sarmiento, Cora Lyn T; Tolentino, Rina Lyn B
title: Face-to-face classes during COVID-19: a call for deliberate and well-planned school health protocols in the Philippine context
date: 2021-02-08
journal: J Public Health (Oxf)
DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab006
sha: d125ebf14b77a24926fb486d92e949d03d6798c3
doc_id: 696772
cord_uid: c3pz185n

Schooling is one of the most affected aspects of human life due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In a recent correspondence published, the authors reminded every country of their responsibility to come up with strategies to reopen schools safely. This paper reiterates the adherence of school health protocols as significant in the delivery of face-to-face classes following national and international guidelines in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 pandemic as a public health crisis.

Schooling is one of the most a ected aspects of human life due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Since the rise and threat of the pandemic, many countries around the world have decided to temporarily close schools that have a ected millions of students. 1 Consequently, students who are mostly children have been facing a learning crisis due to the pandemic. 2 In a recent correspondence published in this journal, the authors cited that every country has the responsibility to come up with strategies to reopen schools in a safe manner. 3 In the Philippines, the government's Department of Education has come up with guidelines to implement online and modular distance learning delivery of instruction. 4 This is to safeguard students from being infected by the disease. However, plans to conduct the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face delivery in low-risk areas of COVID-19 transmission for January 2021 have been approved by the president 5 but later recalled 6 due to the threat of the new strain of COVID-19. Predicaments are raised whether the country is ready to open its schools for students to go for face-to-face learning despite having been one of the longest and strictest lockdowns in the world.

School reopening for face-to-face interactions must be carefully planned to ensure the safety of students as well as teachers and school sta in a staged fashion especially in following physical distancing. 7, 8 Planning and execution of school health protocols during this pandemic must be supported by the truthful data 9 being given by various institutions. Last 11 December 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a checklist to support school reopening and the preparation for the possible resurgence of COVID-19. 10 WHO cited that 'The checklist is aligned with, and builds upon, existing COVID-19-related WHO guidelines and is structured around protective measures related to: 1) hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette; 2) physical distancing; 3) use of masks in schools; 4) environmental cleaning and ventilation; and 5) respecting procedures for isolation of all people with symptoms.' 10 The checklist helps policymakers and school o cials to enhance compliance and adherence to public health protocols in the time of the pandemic. 10 In conclusion, school health protocols in conducting faceto-face classes must be planned carefully following national and international guidelines to ensure that students will be safe or at least mitigate the e ects of COVID-19. After all, students' lives matter as education does to them. That is the responsibility of every government to ensure its fulfillment.

UNESCO's support: Educational response to

The Impact of COVID-19 on children

COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean: what is known about the status of school reopening?

DepEd prepares Self-Learning Modules for education's new normal

cial Statement on the Pilot Implementation of Limited Face-to-Face Classes

On the recall of the President's approval of the pilot run of face-to-face classes

Reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic: governments must balance the uncertainty and risks of reopening schools against the clear harms associated with prolonged closure

Reopening schools after the COVID-19 lockdown

The truth must prevail: citizens' rights to know the truth during the era of COVID-19

Checklist to support schools re-opening and preparation for COVID-19 resurgences or similar public health crises

No funding was received from this paper.

The authors declare no conflict of interest in this paper.

All authors contributed to all aspects of the manuscript.