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DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools

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Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Students arrive for their class at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/10/24/20220822-school-opening-payatas-md-5.jpg"/><figcaption>Students arrive for their class at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — How many students have been infected with COVID-19 since the return of face-to-face classes?</p><p>A public health expert is urging the Department of Education to release data on the number of COVID-19 infections in schools, weeks before the resumption of full in-person classes in public schools that continues to raise health and safety concerns.</p><p>In an online press conference on Monday, Dr. Tony Leachon said DepEd should be transparent with the data, which could help schools and their communities respond better in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks.</p><p>&quot;I think for the safety of the kids, we need to be transparent about our data,&quot; said Leachon, former adviser to the government&#x27;s task force against COVID-19.</p><p>&quot;Wala naman may gusto na hindi pumasok but how can we protect ourselves if we are not empowered, educated and engaged about our data?&quot; he added.</p><p>(Nobody wants our students to not go to school but how can we protect ourselves if we are not empowered, educated and engaged about our data?)</p><p>Leachon said he expects the number of COVID-19 cases to be &quot;underreported&quot; since the Department of Health only counts positive RT-PCR test results.</p><p>&quot;The report right now by the Department of Health ... may be underreported kasi ang nire-report lang, usually &#x27;yong RT-PCR [tests]. I think ang mode of diagnosis natin ay rapid antigen tests, so I expect na underreported &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>(The report right now by the Department of Health... may be underreported because what they report now are usually results of RT-PCR tests. I think the mode of diagnosis for many of us are the rapid antigen tests, so I expect the those numbers are underreported.)</p><p>DepEd has yet to respond to ABS-CBN News&#x27; request for a comment on the matter.</p><div><strong>COVID COUNT UP TO LGUS</strong></div><p>DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa previously said it was up to the local governments to publicly issue data on COVID-19 cases in schools, saying the agency does not &quot;want to give conflicting figures.&quot;</p><p>Some local governments have reported COVID-19 infections since the start of School Year 2022-2023 last Aug. 22, which saw many schools reopen for in-person classes.</p><p>In Mati City, for instance, 19 students and 4 teachers from 8 schools have caught the virus from Aug. 22 to Oct. 15, according to the local government.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/24/22/expected-deped-monitoring-covid-infections-in-schools">&#x27;Expected&#x27;: DepEd monitoring COVID infections in schools</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/22/19-estudyante-4-guro-nagka-covid-sa-mati-city-lgu">19 estudyante, 4 guro nagka-COVID sa Mati City mula noong school opening: LGU</a></li></ul><p>The DepEd has ordered all public schools to return to 5 days of in-person classes beginning Nov. 2. Private schools, meanwhile, may choose to implement full face-to-face instruction, full distance learning or blended learning beyond the said date. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/17/22/distance-blended-learning-allowed-in-private-schools-beyond-nov">DepEd allows private schools to continue distance, blended learning beyond Nov. 2</a></li></ul><p>The agency stood by its plan for public schools to resume full in-person classes even after the Philippines recently detected cases of the new COVID-19 variant XBC and subvariant XBB.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/19/22/deped-policy-on-face-to-face-classes-stays-despite-xbb-xbc-cases">DepEd: Policy on face-to-face classes stays despite new COVID variant</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2296419" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

How many students have been infected with COVID-19 since the return of face-to-face classes?

DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools

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DepEd urged to release data on COVID-19 infections in schools

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 24, 2022 01:00 PM PHT

|

Updated October 24, 2022 03:30 PM PHT

Read More:

coronavirus

education

basic education

health

face-to-face classes

Department of Education

Tony Leachon

Covid-19

Covid-19 data

Covid-19 schools

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