EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones maintained that schools should be used as vaccination sites when there are no other options left.

“School buildings should only be used as a last resort if there is no other place. Schools are reserved as evacuation sites during calamities and disasters. If it will be used as vaccination sites, then there would be no more place for emergency evacuations,” Briones said.

If an area has no other place for vaccination except the school, she said the situation should be assessed and coordinated with the Department of Health and concerned local government units.

“We are willing to help, but our primordial concern is to protect our children, teachers, and staff,” Briones added.

Senator Ralph Recto earlier urged the DoH to consider using schools as additional vaccination sites not only to speed up the process, but also to prevent overcrowding in designated vaccination spots.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III agreed with the senator, admitting that the government would need more sites beyond those already identified.

Briones however reiterated that teachers could only help inform learners on the government’s vaccination program.

“Teachers are trained to teach, not to administer vaccines. The biggest contribution for teachers is to inform people about the vaccines,” she said.