The Philippines may soon lift the face shield policy, according to Harry Roque.
HARRY ROQUE — The Presidential spokesperson said that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) was studying the possibility of finally ending the face shield policy in the Philippines.
However, the Palace spokesman maintained that the public should still keep wearing their face shields for the meantime as there’s no final decision on the face shield policy yet.
During the Presidential press briefing, Roque said that while the number of coronavirus cases was decreasing, they’re talking about whether or not they will continue the face shield rule.
“I can confirm po na habang bumababa ang mga numero ay pinag-uusapan na rin po kung ipagpapatuloy pa ang pagsuot ng face shield,” the Palace spokesman said, referring to the number of coronavirus cases in the Philippines.
Roque, who was also the spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, added that many were already telling the IATF that they should stop wearing face shields because the number of coronavirus cases was decreasing but there’s no decision yet.
The Palace spokesman specifically mentioned that people should still wear a face shield in the 3Cs — crowded places, closed spaces, and close-contact settings.
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Roque also said that there’s no final word yet on when the IATF will decide on lifting the face shield requirement in the country, although the technical working group was already studying the possibility.
The Philippines, which saw a drop in coronavirus cases in the past two weeks, was the only country in the world that has a face shield mandate.
Although the government has already lifted the face shield requirement in outdoor areas, the public was still required to wear a face shield in indoor establishments such as grocery stores and malls.
Manila Bulletin reported that the public and several groups have continued to call for the stoppage of wearing face shields in the country, citing the convenience it was causing and its alleged ineffectiveness in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
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