The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has vowed to push for the exclusion of the use of face shield in the health protocol for the prevention of infection from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid the improving situation in the country.
In a news briefing on Thursday, Nov. 4, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said they already discussed the move with DILG Secretary Eduardo Año.
“Kami sa DILG we will recommend through the IATF na dahan-dahan nang tanggalin ang face shield as a requirement (We at the DILG will recommend through the IATF the steady removal of the face shield requirement) except of course in hospital settings,’’ Malaya said.
However, Malaya clarified that the final decision still is in the IATF’s hands with a meeting being held on Nov. 7.
Previously, some IATF members favor the dropping of the mandatory face shield use rule when indoors with the declining COVID-19 cases in the country.
On Sept. 22, President Duterte said that the use of face shields will not be required in open spaces but will remain mandated in areas classified as ‘3Cs’ which refers to closed places, crowded locations and areas where there are close contacts.
In a report over ABS-CBN, the OCTA Research Group meanwhile said it would support the proposal to junk face shield use inside cinemas.
This ‘makes sense’ because watching movies in the theater ‘would not be an enjoyable experience if you are wearing a face shield,’’ said OCTA's Dr. Guido David. (Chito A. Chavez)