DOH: Not yet time to stop wearing face shields
THE Department of Health (DOH) will appeal if President Rodrigo Duterte decides to only require the use of face shields in hospitals.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said this is because it is not yet time to drop the use of face shields as the country’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage remains low.
“Any layer of protection is better than less protection,” he stressed.
Duque issued the statement after Duterte and Senate President Vicente Sotto III have agreed that face shields must only be worn in hospitals.
Face shields made headlines anew on Wednesday after treatment czar Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said it may be removed when outdoors.
Sought for clarification, DOH spokesperson Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Vega’s statement “has always been the standing policy.”
She added Joint Memorandum Circular 2021-0001 states that face shields are required to be worn in the following areas: Enclosed public space, Schools, Workplaces,Commercial establishments, Public transport and terminals, Places of worship and Other public spaces wherein one-meter physical distancing is not possible and there is gathering of more than 10 people at the same venue at the same time.
The use of face shields was included in the agenda of today’s (Thursday) of the government’s inter-agency COVID-19 task force.
