Baguio City schools ensure students’ safety amidst nCoV ARD scare

Public schools in Baguio City started implementing preventive measures to ensure the students’ safety against the novel Corona Virus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-NCOV ARD).

On February 4, the Department of Education (DepEd) released Memorandum No. 15 series of 2020, ordering schools to observe precautionary measures for the prevention and control of the 2019-NCOV ARD. Among the measures presented in the memo were travel limitations and restrictions, suspension of national, regional, division, and school activities and strengthening public information and awareness campaigns.

According to Brenda Cariño, Secondary School Principal IV and Chairman of Baguio City National High School (BCNHS), the institution already implemented policies from the department order. BCNHS constantly reminds their students during flag ceremonies to observe personal hygiene not only to prevent coronavirus but also as a general precaution for any disease.

“We advise our students during the flag ceremony to always observe personal hygiene. This is not only for them to prevent having the nCoV ARD, but also for their general hygiene. It is a general precaution for any disease or illness that might fall on them,” the chairman said.

The students were also advised to seek medical attention immediately if they feel that something is wrong.

“We always advise our students to seek medical attention from our medical officer in case that they feel something that they should not be feeling,” Cariño added.

Advocacy materials provided by the Department of Health’s (DOH) Center for Health Development (CHD) in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) regarding coronavirus were also posted around the campus.

Esther Kiw-is Litilit, Principal IV of Baguio Central School, said that they also emphasize the importance of personal hygiene and being physically fit to their 3,152 pupils.

“There are very basic things that we teach and tell the kids even though there is no nCoV [in Baguio] yet. We emphasize on making themselves physically fit. Personal Hygiene is number one,” Litilit said in an interview.

Litilit also reminded the pupils to observe personal hygiene and to wash their hands before and after eating and after coming out from the comfort rooms.

“I roam around [the] school every day, every now and then to remind them to do personal hygiene. Then of course, handwashing will never be forgotten. We always tell them to observe handwashing before and after eating and after coming out of the comfort rooms,” the principal said.

Litilit also mandated all teachers to make sure that the surrounding within and outside the classrooms are clean.

“I mandate all teachers, to make their surroundings clean. It should begin in the classroom. Then of course, until outside the rooms. So, if you roam around, it is all clean. Cleanliness is still the best tool to battle nCoV,” Litilit added.

Activities within and outside schools suspended to avoid crowding.

BCNHS and Baguio Central School have also suspended other socialization activities to avoid crowding of students that might lead to spread of respiratory viruses and ensure students’ safety.

“We also suspended socialization activities just like proms and other balls to prevent crowding,” Cariño added.

Litilit also postponed scheduled activities in Baguio Central School such as their Science Quiz Fairs and lessons in Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) that requires audience.

“There are science quiz fairs that are school based, but we have suspended that one. We have lessons in Araling Panlipunan wherein we need an audience, but we also suspended it.” Litilit explained.

Litilit also added that the students from Baguio Central School also started conducting their flag ceremonies inside their classrooms to avoid crowding.

“We only have our flag ceremonies during Mondays and not every day anymore. But I suspended that during this February because it tends to be crowded. Our flag ceremonies are already done inside the classrooms,” the principal added.

On providing sanitary kits

Litilit said that when it comes to sanitary supplies, Baguio Central School, due to lack of resources, can only afford to provide soap for their pupils.

“What we can only afford is the soap. In our washing areas, we have containers with soaps. Before, there were donors who gave liquid hand soaps. But for now, we are supplying it with bath soaps,” the principal said.

BCNHS, on the other hand, is not able to provide sanitary kits to their students. To respond to this, the school advises them to bring their own kits since access to the washing area is not always available.

“None so far. Though, we advise them to buy even those small bottles [of ethyl alcohol] to bring with them because they may not be able to have access to a washing area everywhere,” Cariño explained.

Parents contribution on the campaign

Janell Austriaco, a parent of a grade schooler, also said that the efforts done by Josefa Cariño Elementary School to prevent nCoV are also recognizable.

“I think it’s enough [the efforts of the school], since the students are obliged to wear masks. The kids are also not allowed to play outside to avoid the disease. They just stay inside their rooms,” Austriaco explained.

Lanielyn Pablo, a mother of a student from the same school also reiterated the importance of masks, vitamins, and healthy diet for the kids to combat the virus.

“We prevent our kids from having the virus by giving them vitamins and letting them wear masks. We also make sure that the kids eat vegetables and healthy food to make sure they are strong.” Pablo said.

List of regional events suspended by DepEd CAR

Following DepEd’s Memorandum No. 15, DepEd CAR under Regional Director May B. Eclar released on February 7 the Regional Memorandum No. 040 series of 2020 containing the list of suspended regional events this month.

DepEd CAR suspended the 2020 Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association Meet (CARAA), CAR’s participation in the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) and National Festival of Talents among others. Other regional events that require students and teachers from various schools, divisions, and/or regions to travel and congregate are also postponed until further notice. This is upon the advice of the DOH and in support of the government’s effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in the region.

Latest Updates on 2019-NCOV ARD in Cordillera

According to DOH’s latest 2019-nCoV case tracker released on February 9, 2020, there are four persons under investigation (PUI) for possible coronavirus in CAR.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause respiratory illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Fever, cough, shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties are among the common signs of infection. The 2019-nCoV is a novel or new type or strain of coronavirus that is not previously found in humans.

by Valerie Joyce Nuval