NAGBABALANG baka makasama sa ekonomiya ang pagkabahala sa A(H1N1) virus, sinabihan ni Education Secretary Jesli Lapus kahapon ang mga paaralang huwag nang magsuspendi ng klase kung magkakaroon ng pangalawang kaso ng virus.

“It’s useless (suspending classes for entire schools). This is just like sore eyes or cough,” ani Lapus. “We are coming out with new school guidelines today or tomorrow, which shifts the focus from containment to mitigation, because even if you suspend classes, would that stop the spread of the virus?”

Ani Lapus, magpupunta lang sa mall o sinehan ang mga mag-aaral at magkakalat ng virus kung kakanselahin ang klase. “If there’s already a community outbreak, you can no longer contain it. You have to deal with the disease.”

Nakasaad sa paunang sipi ng guidelines na maaaring suspendihin ang klase “for students in a block section” kung may isang kumpirmadong kaso, “while sparing the rest of the school population from disruption of classes, especially when there are no confirmed cases in other sections.”


Ani Lapus, apektado na ang ekonomiya ng negatibong ulat hinggil sa kalagayan ng A(H1N1) sa Pilipinas.

“If we don’t tone this down, our economy will be affected and this will contribute to the recession. Our tourism will be affected if readers abroad see the news. It would affect OFWs leaving the country to work abroad,” aniya.