MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte lectured the public on the importance of wearing face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.
Duterte, in a taped address aired Tuesday morning, claimed masks can be used for up to two times as long as these are sprayed with a disinfectant.
“Maski gamitin mo siguro ‘yan ng dalawang beses okay man, kung isprayhan mo ng alcohol pagtapos, wag ‘yun iniispray mo tapos suot agad,” President Duterte said in an address to the public on Tuesday.
Duterte’s statement run counter with the World Health Organization, which has said before that only non-medical fabric masks can be reused but these should be washed with water and detergent.
The WHO added that medical masks should be discarded immediately after use and preferably thrown in a closed bin.
Duterte also said that violations of the mandatory wearing of face masks in public places and the observance of physical distancing can be considered a “serious crime” given that the country is seeing an outbreak of infections.
“We have to ask our police to be more strict, hulihin talaga. A little shame would put them on notice forever,” Duterte said. “Sino ba naman gustong mahuli ka? But if you are brought to the police station and detained there, that would give you a lesson for all time.” Based on the latest data from the Department of Health, there were reported 1,521 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in the country, bringing the country’s total to 68,898./PN
