The City Health Office (CHO) has reminded school officials to ensure that children participating in face-to-face (F2F) classes are fully vaccinated and even boosted.

Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, the CHO chief, issued the call on Monday after expressing apprehension about an upsurge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, amid the start of F2F classes in public primary and secondary school levels on Aug. 22.

“It is highly possible because more people will be out, our children will be attending face-to-face classes that could be an added risk that’s why we have to prepare them,” Miravite said in an interview.

Students, aside from being vaccinated and boosted, must wear facemask properly, observe safe physical distancing, and classrooms must be sufficiently ventilated, she said.

She noted that the F2F interaction of people in public gatherings, which is allowed under Alert Level 1, could be the reason behind the rise of Covid-19 cases here.

CHO data showed that active Covid-19 cases here increased to 280 as of Monday. Of the total, 268 were acquired through community transmission.

The remaining 12 Covid-19 active cases include 10 detainees, one authorized person outside residence, and one returning overseas Filipino.

CHO data also indicated that 126,600 children five years old to 11 years old; and 199,000 children aged 12 to 17 here are fully vaccinated.

Likewise, 3,112 children aged five to 17 have received their vaccine booster shots. (PNA)