SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday expressed support to the calls on the Department of Education to declare a health break for teachers and students especially those in areas that have been placed under Alert Level 3.

Gatchalian said the Omicron variant is spreading like wildfire, thus protecting teachers and students must be a priority.

“Since the pandemic started, our education frontliners have already been under a lot of strain. By giving them a health break, we hope to give them ample time to address their healthcare concerns, including the needs of their families,” the chairman of the Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said.

He stressed that more than implementing a health break, upholding the safety and welfare of teachers and students is also important.

“We need regular Covid19 testing for our teachers and non-teaching staff. When they test positive, they should be able to count on the government for support when it comes to their treatment. Lastly, we should intensify our efforts to vaccinate teachers and eligible learners to protect them from the risks of infection, severe disease, hospitalization, and death,” Gatchalian said.

“Sa ating pagsisikap na ipagpatuloy ang edukasyon, muling buksan ang ating mga paaralan, at masimulan ang pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon, kaligtasan at kalusugan pa rin ng mga mag-aaral at mga guro ang ating unang prayoridad,” he stressed.