Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday wearing of face shield is still required amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will run this through the IATF meeting later,” Nograles said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
IATF is the Inter-Agency Task Force which serves as the government’s policy-making body in COVID-19 response efforts.
“Face shields are still required,” he pointed out.
Senate President Tito Sotto earlier said that President Rodrigo Duterte would allegedly order the Department of Health to stop using the face shield and use it only in hospitals.
“Last night, the President agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals. Allowed us to remove ours! Attn DOH!” said Sotto on Twitter.
Malacañang has not yet confirmed the president’s order.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire cited Joint Memorandum Circular 2021-0001, saying that the memo “only states that face shields are required to be worn in enclosed public spaces, schools, workplaces, commercial establishments, public transport and terminals, and places of worship.”
Yesterday, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the public could remove face shields outdoors since COVID-19 transmission risk in open spaces is low.
Face shields still required – Nograles
“‘Yung face shields, kakailanganin naman talaga ‘yan ‘pag nasa indoor ka, nasa mall ka, or ‘pag may interaction ka face to face inside,” he said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(Face shields are needed when you’re indoors, in a mall, or having a face-to-face interaction inside.)
“Pero ‘pag nasa outside naman, kasi alam naman natin ang risk of transmission is very low, at lalong lalo na kapag naglalakad ka lang sa kalye o kaya nagtatrabaho ka, kasi makaka-affect ‘yung moist nito so puwede niyo tanggalin ‘yan,” he added.
(But when you’re outside, we know that the risk of transmission is very low. Especially when you’re walking along the street or working, the moisture can really affect you, so you can remove it.)
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who also serves as the spokesperson for the IATF, also insisted that face shields add protection against COVID-19.
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