The government is set to issue an advisory showing the public how to properly use their face shields as the country faces the threat of a surge of COVID-19 cases during the holiday season.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has required the public to wear both face masks and shields at all times outside their residence.

In a statement, Roque said the IATF has instructed the following agencies to issue a consolidated advisory on the proper use of face shields when leaving their residence:

1. Department of Health (DoH)
2. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
3. Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE)
4. Other agencies of the national government

The consolidated advisory will also include appropriate exclusions and exemptions to the new requirement.

The government has required the wearing of face masks in public places since April. Face shields, meanwhile, were originally required only when entering enclosed spaces or establishments like malls.

Malacañang has warned the public that parts of the country may be placed under stricter quarantine classifications anew if there will be a surge of COVID-19 cases in the country during the holidays.

Data from the DoH showed that the decreasing trend of COVID-19 cases is slowing down and that cases have plateaued and are showing initial signs of an increase in most regions.

While acknowledging that this was not a good sign, Roque said it the people can still do something about it.

"Papaalalahanan ko lang po kayo, 'pag umabot po tayo ng kritikal, 'yan po ay isang dahilan para magkaroon na naman tayo ng mas istriktong quarantine (Let me remind you that if we reach the critical level, that is one indicator that we will return to a stricter quarantine)," he said.

"Ito naman po ay nagsisimula pa lamang, pwede pa itong ma-reverse (It has just begun, we can still reverse the trend)," he said.