DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 16 Oct) – The Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) has shifted classes of its grade school back online because of the presence of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases within the campus.
ADDU’s Matina campus where the Grade School is. File photo courtesy of Save Heritage Trees
Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, ADDU president, said in a statement sent to media Wednesday that “to minimize exposure, we have shifted to online learning (synchronous and asynchronous) classes in the Grade School.”
He added that “once it is safe to return to face-to-face classes, we will promptly communicate this to parents and the entire Grade School community.”
Fr. San Juan said that ADDU’s grade school “has adopted enhanced sanitation protocols, including regular and thorough cleaning of classrooms, restrooms, and high-contact surfaces daily. Our pupils are also being encouraged to practice frequent hand washing throughout the school day.”
MindaNews went to the ADDU-Preschool and Grade School (PGS) campus in Matina on Wednesday afternoon to confirm attendance of students, and the guards on-duty said students were currently doing online learning. They will “be back on Monday,” he said.
There were some school employees inside but declined to answer questions from the media.
MindaNews contacted the Talomo North Health Center, the nearest health center near ADDU-PGS, and was told by employees that they got a memorandum that all queries regarding the school’s FHMD cases must be answered by Dr. Tomas Miguel Ababon, City Health Office officer-in-charge.
MindaNews also went to the City Health Office (CHO) but Ababon’s staff said their office “are currently verifying and investigating” the existence of HFMD in the school.
FHMD, as defined by World Health Organization, is a viral disease that can infect infants and children under five years old.
In most cases, the disease is mild and self-limiting, with common symptoms including fever, painful sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters on hands, feet and buttocks. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
