The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said removing the country’s face-mask mandate could be dangerous and lead to a Covid-19 surge.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH had studied the policy change and found that countries that removed the mandate suffered Covid-19 spikes.
“Marami na pong nagbibigay ng ganiyang rekomendasyon, kaya ang ginawa po namin, nakipag-usap po tayo sa ating mga eksperto, pinag-aralan po natin kung ano po iyong mga experiences from other countries, pinag-aralan din natin iyong mga current evidences. Nakita po natin sa ibang bansa, iyong malalaking bansa na ito na tumataas po ang mga kaso nila, when they have removed the mask mandate,” she said in a “Laging Handa” briefing.
“Gusto po nating pigilan muna ang ganitong pangyayari sa ating lugar, gusto natin makita muna natin na stable tayo dito po, in terms of cases at nakikita nating manageable ang mga kaso natin,” she added.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia earlier issued an executive order allowing the optional wearing of face masks in outdoor settings but was overruled by the Department of the Interior and the Local Government.
Vergeire said local government units should follow the national government’s policies to prevent confusion.
“Kailangan po lahat ng local governments, lahat tayo, iisa lang ang protocol na susundin natin. Kailangan sabay-sabay tayo at magtulung-tulong, so that lahat tayo mapupunta tayo at maaatim natin iyong new normal na sinasabi natin,” she said.
The Philippines has 2,805 active Covid-19 cases as of June 11. John Ezekiel J. Hirro