SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday urged the National Task Force Against Covid19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to make teachers a priority in the Covid19 vaccination program.

At least 33 education, business and medical groups earlier signed a position paper calling on the government to move teachers from B1 to the A4 priority list.

The A4 priority list includes frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel.

In the order of priority, frontline healthcare workers come first, followed by senior citizens, persons with comorbidities,  indigents, and those in the A4 list.

Gatchalian said that teachers are also frontliners, risking their health and safety to ensure learning continuity.

“Ang ating mga guro ay maituturing nating mga frontliners dahil isinasakripisyo nila ang kanilang kaligtasan para magpatuloy ang edukasyon sa gitna ng pandemya. Ngayong inaasahan natin ang malawakang pagpapabakuna kontra Covid19 sa mga susunod na buwan, isinusulong nating mabigyan ng mas mataas na prayoridad ang mga guro upang matiyak natin ang ligtas na pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon at muling pagbubukas ng mga paaralan,” he said.

The lawmaker added that inoculating teachers as quickly as possible would hasten the safe reopening of schools and curb adult-to-adult transmission of the virus when face-to-face classes resume.

He cited the example of Indonesia, which inoculated teachers ahead of vulnerable groups.