With the COVID-19 vaccination program opening up to the A4 priority list, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging teachers and non-teaching staff to register with their local government units and receive their jabs.
Since teachers continue to sacrifice their health and safety to ensure learning continuity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatchalian said it is crucial that they receive much-needed protection, noting that activities like the printing and distribution of self-learning modules expose them to the risk of being infected.
The lawmaker added that when more teachers are vaccinated, parents and learners will have more confidence to participate in limited face-to-face classes once the President gives the green light.
Basic education frontliners are included in the A4 priority list of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program, which includes frontline personnel in essential sectors. While teachers were originally included in the B1 category, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved to include them in the A4 priority list last April.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture has previously called for the prioritization of teachers in the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program. The Senate’s Adopted Resolution No. 92, which Gatchalian co-authored and sponsored, called for the prioritization of teachers in the COVID-19 vaccination program to mitigate the risk of adult-to-adult transmission of the coronavirus in schools.
“Ngayong binuksan na ang COVID-19 vaccination program para sa A4 priority list, nananawagan ako sa ating mga guro, pati na rin sa ating mga non-teaching personnel na magparehistro at magpabakuna. Ang pagpapabakuna ay hindi lamang proteksyon para sa atin, kundi proteksyon din para sa ating mga pamilya at mga komunidad,” said Gatchalian.
