School Health Preparedness of Secondary Schools in Tarlac Province, Philippines Amidst Covid 19 Pandemic

Abstract

The study determined the secondary school health preparedness for Covid-19 pandemic in Tarlac Province, Central Luzon Philippines during the school year 2020-2021.The descriptive method was used in this study. The researcher personally administered and collected questionnaires to ensure one hundred (100) percent returns following the Inter-Agency Task Force Protocols for Health and Safety. The researcher determined status of school health facilities and equipment and school health preparedness. According to the findings, the status of the health facilities and equipment was available, functional, and adequate. The schools are highly prepared in terms of routines and protocols for health and safety and support mechanisms, prepared along with the screening of returning personnel and learners and testing protocol. Respondents have the same view with regards to school health preparedness. The status of health facilities directly correlated to the level of school health preparedness. Finally, the respondents fairly encountered difficult problems in school health preparedness along with general and safety protocol, school clinic and health services, DepEd health and safety policies, physical and mental resilience, administrative support, and moderate as to detection and referral.