Go pushes for stricter health protocols in public places

MANILA, Philippines — To fully “flatten the curve” of COVID-19, Sen. Bong Go called for stricter enforcement of health and safety protocols, especially in public places.

Go urged Filipinos to sup- port greater cooperation and continued vigilance as the country is trying to balance ef- forts to jumpstart the economy while protecting people’s health.

“I urge concerned agencies to strictly enforce necessary health and safety protocols, especially in public places. We may want to return to normal life, but we have to prioritize the welfare and life of ordinary citizens,” Go said.

In order to strictly imple- ment health protocols, such as the mandatory wearing of face masks in public, Go said the government should provide free masks in areas frequently visited by the people.

“Let’s be more proactive in implementing a stricter mask wearing policy. Let’s provide for those without masks, es- pecially in frequently visited areas,” Go said.

In view of this, the senator appealed to the government to distribute free masks in public markets and other areas com- monly visited by Filipinos for their essential needs.

On top of distributing masks in public places, Go urged concerned agencies to provide masks to those who cannot afford to buy their own and help local industries by supporting local produc- ers and manufacturers of masks.

“Wearing masks can save lives. Buying locally made masks can also provide jobs. Let’s cooperate so we can rise from this crisis,” he said.

Go reiterated the observa- tion of medical experts that the proper wearing of stan- dard masks reduces the risk of contracting and spreading the virus by 85 percent.

Meanwhile, proper wearing of masks and face shields, and observing social distancing, further reduces the risk to more than 90 percent.

The senator asked public market administrators and local government units to provide free hand-washing facilities in public places to ensure the public can practice proper hygiene, such as hand washing.

He appealed to motorcycle drivers and owners to sanitize their back-riding barriers more frequently and urged the De- partment of Health (DOH) to come up with guidelines on the proper way of cleaning these barriers.