Face shields can be removed outdoors, says DOH
People outdoors may remove their face shields as the risk of transmitting or contracting COVID-19 is "very low" according to a Department of Health (DOH) official.
"Ang face shields, kailangan talaga yan kapag nasa indoor ka, kapag nasa mall ka, or kapag may interaction ka na face to face inside (Face shields are needed indoors if you are in a mall or interacting with someone face to face indoors)," DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said today, June 16, during the Laging Handa public briefing of state-run PTV.
"Pero kapag sa outside kasi alam naman natin na risk of transmission is very low lalo na kapag naglalakad ka lang sa kalye o kaya nagtatrabaho ka kasi makaka-affect yung moist nito puwede niyong tanggalin yan (But when you are outside we know that the risk of transmission is very low especially if you are walking on the street or working, it will create moisture so you can remove them)."
Vega, however, said that face shields should still be worn when going inside establishments or enclosed spaces.
"Pero pag pumasok kayo sa indoors ho kailangan may face shields kasi ito yung added protection na hindi ka maka-transmit or mahawaan kayo (But when you go indoors you should have face shields for added protection to prevent transmission or contracting the virus)," Vega said.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has publicly called for the government to drop the face shield requirement, which he has tagged as just an added burden for the public.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has mandated the wearing of face shields on top of face masks since December 2020. IATF advisers, such as Dr. Edsel Salvana, have defended the face shield on face mask mandate as being based on a scientific study published in the journal The Lancet that supposedly minimizes contraction of the COVID-19 virus. (wth reports from Romina Faylon)
(Banner photo shows a Baguio resident filling up a form during a round of free community testing for COVID-19. Andy Zapata / The Philippine Star)
