Amid a surge in seasonal water- and vector-borne diseases, the Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered all public schools to step up dengue and leptospirosis prevention, monitoring, and reporting protocols following heavy monsoon (habagat) rains and tropical cyclones recently.
In dual advisories, DepEd directed school heads, health personnel, and staff to enforce strict sanitation standards and health monitoring for dengue and leptospirosis cases across public basic education institutions nationwide.
To guarantee rapid escalation and response, DepEd has rolled out an automated Dengue and Leptospirosis Case Monitoring and Reporting Tool accessible to all schools, Schools Division Offices (SDOs), Regional Offices (ROs), and the Central Office.
Schools are required to encode reported dengue and leptospirosis cases in the DepEd monitoring tool in accordance with prescribed internal reporting timelines, including within 24 hours of receiving information.
This internal DepEd monitoring mechanism complements, and does not replace, existing DOH and local disease-surveillance and notification systems.
‘Katulad ng palaging paalala ng ating Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, hindi dapat nahihinto o naaalanganin ang edukasyon dahil sa mga banta sa kalusugan at kalamidad…Ating ipinapanawagan sa ating mga school heads, guro, at magulang na magtulungan. Ang simpleng pagpapanatili ng kalinisan sa ating paligid, ang pagpuksa sa mga pinagmumulan ng lamok at pag-iwas sa pagbabad sa baha, ay malaking bagay upang mailayo ang ating mga kabataan sa sakit,’ said
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara highlighted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize learner and personnel safety during environmental and health emergencies.
Under the directives, schools were instructed to vigorously implement the Department of Health’s (DOH) Enhanced 4S Strategy of search and destroy, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging/spraying only when indicated by the appropriate local health authorities, in accordance with DOH administrative orders.
To eliminate mosquito-breeding sites, school heads and personnel must conduct regular inspections of classrooms, grounds, gardens, comfort rooms, storage areas, gutters, and drainage systems where stagnant water accumulates. The 4Ts under the so-called 4 O’Clock Habit comprising Taob, Taktak, Tuyo, and Takip will be integrated into regular school environmental sanitation and source-reduction activities.
For self-protection, learners and personnel are encouraged to wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants whenever practicable, apply mosquito repellents appropriately and according to product instructions, and use appropriate physical barriers such as window screens and mosquito nets, where applicable.
Schools shall conduct age-appropriate and evidence-based health education activities to increase awareness on dengue prevention and control. School heads and health personnel must also ensure early medical consultation by promptly referring individuals who exhibit dengue symptoms, including sudden high fever lasting two to seven days, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, abdominal pain, or bleeding signs, to appropriate health facilities.
At the same time, DepEd cautioned school communities that exposure to contaminated floodwater or soil may place individuals at risk for leptospirosis even in the absence of visible wounds.
DepEd instructed schools to strictly restrict learners from swimming, wading, or unnecessarily walking in floodwaters and muddy soil.
When exposure to floodwaters is unavoidable, individuals must wear appropriate protective gear such as boots and gloves, cover skin cuts or wounds with waterproof dressings, and wash exposed skin thoroughly with clean water and soap immediately after contact.
Schools must also enforce environmental sanitation and rodent control by disposing of food waste properly, keeping classrooms, canteens and storage facilities clean, eliminating rodent nesting sites, and ensuring flooded school grounds are thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and safety-assessed prior to re-entry.
Individuals exposed to floodwaters or potentially contaminated soil are advised to promptly consult the nearest health facility or local health office for appropriate risk assessment and determination of whether post-exposure prophylaxis is indicated. Those who subsequently develop symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, calf muscle pain, headache, or reddish eyes should seek immediate medical attention. The advisory stresses that post-exposure prophylaxis or antibiotics must never be self-administered and should only be taken under the advice or prescription of a qualified health professional.
DepEd calls on parents, LGUs, and community partners to maintain close coordination with local school authorities to ensure a clean, safe, and disease-free environment for learners nationwide.