COVID infections among teachers alarms solon
A lawmaker asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to look into reports that many teachers are suffering from COVID-19.
A recent survey conducted by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-NCR Union showed that more than 55.3 percent of the teacher-respondents are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
ACT Teachers Representative France Castro expressed alarmed at the number of teachers and their families who reported to experience symptoms.
“These are very alarming numbers. What is the Department of Education doing to support our teachers during this time when many of their employees are sick?” Castro said.
“Do they even know the extent of the COVID-19 positive cases among DEPED employees?” Castro added.
The survey asked the respondents if they are still working despite having symptoms and 84.7 percent answered “yes.”
When asked if they received any support or aid from their divisions or schools, 76.2 percent answered that they did not receive any aid or support.
Teachers, especially in areas under alert level 3 are calling for a health break from the Department of Education so that they can focus on their health and the health of their families as the country experiences the worst surge of COVID-19.
Teachers are also urging the DEPED not to give them webinars to attend during the health break so that they can really focus on taking care of themselves , Castro stressed.
“We reiterate our call for the Department of Education to implement a much needed health break for areas under alert level 3. We also call on the DepEd to ensure adequate health monitoring of our teachers,” Castro said.
