The City Health Office (CHO) here on Thursday highly recommended the students to use face masks following an increase in the incidence of viral respiratory illnesses among children. Reynante Solitario, the city schools division superintendent who received the letter from CHO in the morning, said the use of face masks will not be made mandatory, but public schools are ‘encouraged’ to follow. ‘I prepared a memo, and hopefully it will be implemented tomorrow (Friday). I am not imposing, but I encouraged all public schools to follow it,’ Solitario said in an interview. In a letter to the local DepEd, Tomas Miguel Ababon, the CHO officer-in-charge, also urged school personnel to wear face masks and the non-admission to class of students manifesting flu-like symptoms such as coughs and colds. He also requested the DepEd-Davao to remind everyone of the importance of proper hand hygiene and coughing or sneezing etiquette to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. ‘We believe that by working together, we can effectively address these health challenges and create a safer and healthier environment for our students,’ Ababon said in the letter. Solitario said several private and public schools have already implemented the wearing of face masks.
Source: Philippines News Agency
