A former adviser of the country’s national anti-Covid-19 task force warned the governnment against the premature lifting of health protocols after Cebu City’s riddance of its mask mandate.
In a Laging Handa briefing, Dr. Teodoro Herbosa said the country was not yet “out of the woods” with regard to Covid-19.
“Kapag inalis [ang health protocols], mahirap nang ibalik yan lalo na kung dadami bigla ang kaso,” he said.
Herbosa said relaxed mask mandates should only be considered when at least 50 percent of the country’s fully vaccinated individuals had been boosted.
As of Sept. 4, 72.6 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Of the number, only about 18.2 million or 25 percent have been boosted.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama earlier issued an executive order allowing the optional wearing of face masks in several settings, including outdoors.
Rama’s order stated that masks were only required in hospitals, clinics and other medical and diagnostic facilities, and that only individuals who are sick, immunocompromised or have flu-like symptoms were required to wear masks. John Ezekiel J. Hirro