TEACHERS and students who will participate in the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes will not be required to undergo regular Covid19 tests, an official of the Department of Health said on Monday.

“We still follow our risk-based testing protocols. We do not recommend the regular testing of students and even teachers and non-teaching personnel in order for them to go to schools,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Testing will only be conducted once teachers and students experienced Covid19 symptoms, noting that the government is fully aware of the possibility of infections in schools.

“There are contingency plans that are being drafted already, and this will be a separate guideline from this joint circular by the DepEd and DOH just in case of infections that will happen,” Vergeire  said.

“We are anticipating that if ever there would be infections, we would be able to manage because of the protocols we are going to institute,” she added.

Briones said DepEd and DOH are also set to provide schools with contingency plans, which will contain recommendations for different scenarios such as what to do if someone in class shows flu symptoms.

“Right now, we receive quite a significant number of letters, largely from private schools who have expressed in participating in the pilot. They always include in their letters their contingency plans,” she added.

Briones reiterated that the department wants to hear more reactions from the parents, especially about their issues and concerns regarding the pilot run.