DEPUTY Speaker and Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera has welcomed the decision of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to drop the mandatory use of face shields in Metro Manila and other areas under coronavirus disease-19 or COVID-19 Alert Levels 1, 2 and 3.

“The decision to scrap the mandatory use of face shields is long overdue, but nevertheless very much welcome as this would finally free us from a requirement proved to be unnecessary and burdensome,” Herrera said.

According to Herrera, the wearing of face shields should have been made optional or left to one’s choice from the start given the absence of solid scientific proof that face shields are effective against the transmission of coronavirus.

Herrera noted expert findings that proper wearing of face masks alone can protect people’s health and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“We trust the findings of medical and science experts that the protection against the airborne transmission of the coronavirus is already sufficiently addressed by the proper use of face masks,” the party-list legislator said.

President Duterte has recently approved the IATF proposal on the limited use of face shields, citing the downward trend in COVID-19 cases and higher vaccination rate in the country.

Following the President’s directive, the use of face shields is now voluntary in the National Capital Region and other areas under Alert Levels 1, 2 and 3, and mandatory in areas under Level 5 and granular lockdowns.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco