MANILA – The government has made the wearing of face shields mandatory not just in public transport and in the workplace, but also in enclosed places like commercial establishments.
“Dapat sinusuot na rin ang face shields sa mga nakasaradong commercial establishments, gaya po ng mga malls,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who also spoke for the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, on Friday.
On Thursday, Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) will soon consider the wearing of face shield outdoors.
Members of the task force, which serves as the policy-making body in the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, last month said face shields are highly encouraged – and may soon be required – to be worn in all public places as additional protection since the coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets.
The Department of Health, citing studies, said wearing face shield and face mask offers 99 percent protection against COVID-19.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell./PN
