Face shields no longer required outdoors

CEBU, Philippines — The mandatory wearing of face shields outdoors has already been lifted.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced it in a recorded Talk to the People late Wednesday.

“I was informed by the technical advisory group on the use of face shield pwede na tanggalin sa labas, no more face shields outside,” said President Duterte.

President gave a nod to the technical group and medical experts’ recommendation of the technical advisory group and medical experts on the use of face shields only in areas that fall under the 3Cs – crowded, closed and close contact.

"But for 3Cs, a face shield is still a must. That’s the recommendation,” stressed Duterte.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in yesterday’s presser said there are still no guidelines on where and when to use the face shields.

Many Cebuanos welcome the said development since usually, face shields are only used for compliance.

For its part, the Department of Health (DOH)-7 is awaiting the guidelines on the use of face shields in outdoor setting, but health officials said those who want to use them for their own protection may continue doing so.

“Let us not deny anyone if they will continue using or doing that for the betterment of themselves, their communities and their families as a certain added protection aside from facemask,” said Dr. Van Phillip Baton, DOH-7 medical coordinator for infectious diseases, in a virtual press conference yesterday.

He said face shields serve as an extra protection from droplets spread.

“Faceshield offer protection but it is only effective if being used properly. Ang uban i headband lang. But as mentioned, we are waiting for the guidelines,” he said.

Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, chief of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit at DOH-7, said there were studies however not peer reviewed stating that COVID-19 transmission is lowered with the use of face shield.

“However,  since the study was not peer reviewed dili daghan ang population so ang iyahang result was not really significant that is why maybe the reason why officials nato gipawala na ang faceshield,” Cañal said.

She admitted that people are not really compliant with the face shield protocol.

“Wala man gyud ni na comply. A lot of people are not always wearing face shields,” he said.

Late last month, WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said, face shields may reduce the likelihood of infection as it protects the eyes, thus,   provide an additional layer of protection for those who are not wearing their masks properly.

Abeyasinghe also said that there are only a few countries requiring the use of face shields, including the Philippines. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, KQD (FREEMAN)