DOH reiterates stand against wearable air purifiers

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reiterated its position against necklace air purifiers, especially when used as protection against COVID-19.

“Wala ho yang ebidensya (effectiveness)… Hindi rin po nakapagbigay ng proteksyon sa COVID… Baka magkaroon ng complacency dahil rito,” said Health Undersecretary, Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday, August 16.

The DOH made a stand on the technology in 2020.

“I think that was as early as the pandemic started that the DOH did not recommend these air purifiers – ito pong mga necklace na purifiers – sinabi na ho natin dati na wala ho yang ebidesya bagamat hindi po ito nakaka-cause ng harm sa isang tao, pero hindi rin po sya nakapagbibigay ng proteksyon laban sa COVID-19,” Vergeire added.

The Philippine COVID-19 Living Clinical Practice Guidelines’ group also said in February 26, 2021 that “no direct evidence was found assessing the effectiveness of ionizing air filters in reducing SARSCoV-2 infections.”

The group is composed of the Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institute of Health, and UP Manila in cooperation with the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. The study was funded by the DOH AHEAD program.

There were five experimental studies reported using an ionizing air purifier in reducing airborne particles, mostly in uninhabited laboratory settings. One of the group’s references also included wearable ionization air cleaners.

The group found that ionizing air purifiers can efficiently remove fine and ultrafine particles, however, its effectiveness in eliminating airborne organisms for infection control is lacking.

“Nakapaglabas din po ang Philippine COVID-19 Living Clinical Practice Guidelines ng kanilang rekomendasyon ukol dito and it states that we recommend against the use of ionizing air purifier to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the community. It has low quality. Yung mga ebidesyang meron and the recommendations are very strong, at ito po ang official policies namin that we adopt whatever recommendations the Living CPG group will provide,” Vergeire said.

“So, sa ngayon po, talagang hindi po namin nirerekomenda ang mga necklace air purifiers at sinasabi na po ng mga ebidensya at mga eksperto na it is not going to provide you that protection and it might lead to complacency and false security sa ating mga kababayan... so, sana po, hindi na lang natin ito gamitin,” Vergeire said.

Requirement

In Cebu Province, drives and conductors of public utility vehicles are now required to wear air purifiers.

This is stated in a memorandum issued by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia although implementation has been moved to August 25 to give time for operators to procure the technology.

The Philippine National Police, Highway Patrol Group, and PUV operators have been mandated to implement the policy strictly.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 has expressed support to the policy as added protection against the coronavirus, especially with the threat of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Cebu Province has the most number of active COVID-19 cases in Central Visayas at 5,040 based on Department of Health (DOH) data as of August 15, 2021.

Eleven LGUs in the province are under modified enhanced community quarantine until August 31, 2021 – the cities of Talisay, Naga, and Carcar and the towns of Minglanilla, Sibonga, Argao, Samboan, Oslob, Liloan, Consolacion, and Cordova.

Supplementary

Department of Health-7 chief pathologist, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, a member of the Cebu COVID Response team, said an air purifier, should anyone wants to use it, must only be supplementary and must not be considered as substitute to basic health standards.

“Its use as per recommendation of the LCEs (local chief executives) is hinged on the principle that the use of the air purifier is but an enhancement of the current containment measures. The air purifiers will not replace the proper use of masking and the rest of the public health standards,” Loreche said told The Freeman.

“Suffice to say that these technologies should be an enhancement only and to never replace the most consistent and proven effective way of controlling the transmission of COVID-19 -proper wear of face masks, hugas kamay, iwas sa mga matataong lugar and stay at home,” she added.

Drivers, conductors

Barili town Mayor Julieto Flores, spokesperson of the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, said they asked Capitol to move the start of enforcement owing to lack of supply of the air purifiers in Cebu.

“Nihangyo ko ni Gov. Gwen kay wala may local supplies nga usa pa semana moabot,” he said.

Flores owns 20 buses that bring passengers to the northern areas of the province.

He said he will shoulder the cost of the purchase of air purifiers for his drivers and conductors.

“Ako ang mobayad sa air purifier para sa akong mga drivers ug conductors. Ambot kaha sa ubang operators, depende na na nila,” he said.

A wearable air purifier can cost about P600 to P1,000 for some brands and up to over P7,000 for top-of-the-line products.

Romulo Alcordo, a driver of SEPO bus (mini bus), said some bus drivers did not operate on Monday because police personnel have started checking compliance to the air purifier requirement.

“Grabe, kadaghan sa pasahero, sobra, ang uban nanguli na lang… pwerte kadaghan pasahero murag ga-Sinulog ang Carcar ug Sibonga… walay bus, namalik, kay ang uban nahadlok, nanguli. Ako, namasin lang ko nga makapalit ko sa syudad… pero wala gyud ko kapalit,” Alcordo said.

There were still buses plying to and from Cebu Province but are limited to only up to 75 percent seating capacity.

Alcordo said even the owner of their bus company is having a difficult time purchasing air purifiers online.

“Dili unta nila angay nga dali-dalion… naa mi giorderan, one week pa man moabot. Unya, unsa may kaunon namo kung dili mi makabyahe? Kini unta gyud angay ni-iprovide sa mga operator kay ang mga operator, sila man ang naay kaya unya kami, wala man gyud intawon mi tarong nga ginansya,” Alcordo said.

Some operators like Flores provide the purifiers to their drivers and conductors for free while others are providing the device on an installment basis. Other drivers borrowed money from friends to buy the purifiers themselves.

“Ang tag-iya ani nipalit ani unya kami lang bayad…dili man (bug-at) bayad kay data-data man… kung naa, naa; kung wala, wala sa gyud” said Albert Aleonar, driver of Pioneer Tours buses. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Le Phyllis F. Antojado, JMO (FREEMAN)