The Department of Health (DOH) has urged the public anew to wear face masks even at home as family clustering of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) within households has been observed recently.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman has renewed calls of wearing face masks at home, especially in household with elderly members and those with comorbidity.

“Kung matatandaan natin, last year nung ni-launch natin ang ‘Bida Solusyon,’ ini-encourage na talaga natin ang ating mga communities na kahit sa bahay ay mag mask na po talaga (If we remember, last year when we launched ‘Bida Solusyon,’ we really encouraged our communities to wear masks even at home),” de Guzman said during a televised press briefing on Monday, March 15.

“Lalo na po kung merong mga elderly, may mga comorbidity po tayong kasama sa bahay, higit na mahalaga yung pagsusuot ng mask sa loob po ng ating mga tahanan (Especially if there are elderly, and members with comorbidity at home, it is more important to wear a mask inside our homes),” she added.

Dr. Pauline Convocar, Philippine College of Emergency Medicine president and Emergency Medicine specialist, earlier revealed that family clustering of cases has been observed amid an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country in the recent weeks.

“We’ve noticed that there is family clustering…if before, what we are counting are only individual cases but now we noticed that many families are going for consultation,” Convocar said in a radio interview March 7.

“That’s why we are appealing to the public as well to really continue the minimum public health standards,” she added.

In August 2020, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary (DILG) Eduardo Año has advised people to wear face masks even inside their homes to prevent transmission of the virus within household.

On March 14, the Philippines logged 4,899 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 621,498.