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The partial opening of classrooms for the 2022 school year, while the COVID-19 pandemic and the possible presence of the omicron variant persists, depends on the immunization of students between 12 and 17 years of age contemplated in the National Vaccination Plan, but to date, only 16% of the plan has a complete scheme.
Despite the fact that President Alejandro Giammattei and the Minister of Education, Claudia Ruiz, have promoted the vaccine in minors for the return to face-to-face classes as of February 15, at the Ministry of Education (Mineduc), they responded to a query from La Hora that regarding the vaccination of students they have no interference, and that this issue is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health.
The target population to be vaccinated in that age range, according to the Government is 2,121,284. Of this total, only 706,860 have been immunized with the first dose, which represents 33% of the total.
In addition, in young people between 12 and 17 years old, only 332,697 have been vaccinated; 16% of the more than two million that are estimated as the target population.
With the aim of returning to face-to-face classes this year, Giammattei and Ruiz began vaccination days in the country’s educational system in November, with an event at the Mineduc headquarters.
Two months after that activity, the numbers of young people are still not high to consider the opening of the classrooms for the beginning of the school year. February 15, 2022 is the scheduled date for the return to classrooms.
A CHANGE OF SCENARIO
Facing the next start of the school year, the Mineduc explained that having this student and teacher population vaccinated would allow together with the MSPAS to make different decisions, include a face-to-face or hybrid plan
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– La Hora newspaper (@lahoragt) January 4, 2022
The portfolio assured that the members of the Parent Organizations (OPF) and commissions of each school must also be vaccinated.
In the note published by La Hora, “Mineduc: Returning to classes depends on more vaccination and adjustment of protocols”, it was stated that Minister Ruiz pointed out that reaching vaccination in these sectors would allow the opening of classrooms.
“With this vaccinated population, we could speak of a greater presence of students in the classrooms,” emphasized the official.
WHAT DOES MINEDUC PLAN TO EXPAND VACCINATION?
Since no response was obtained from the Communication Directorate, the Ministry of Public Information Unit of the Mineduc asked if the portfolio has any plan, or participates in one, to extend vaccination to schoolchildren, but the answer was that in Regarding vaccination, the Mineduc has no interference, with the Ministry of Public Health being the competent authority on the matter.
VACCINATION OF TEACHERS
In the latest report on the vaccination of teachers in the public and private sectors of the country, the Ministry of Education indicated that the figure reached 90% and an update of the data would be expected after the end of the year holidays.
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