A member of the Department of Health-Technical Advisory Group (DOH-TAG) has advised Sorsogon residents affected by the eruption of Mt. Busulusan to wear quality face masks to protect themselves from pyroclastic materials.
On June 5, thick smoke billowed from Mt. Bulusan after a phreatic eruption or steam-driven explosion. It was then placed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or Phivolcs under Alert Level 1.
“Well, I’m not a pulmonologist, I’m an infectious disease doctor pero ‘yung mga ganyan (but such) particles, pyroclastic materials lalo na (especially) the small ones can damage your lungs,” DOH-TAG member Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvana said during a “Laging Handa” briefing, Monday, June 6.
“So very important you have access to a quality mask —mga N95s, KN95s probably should wear that lalo na ‘pag mataas particle count nakikita niyo (especially when the particle count is very high),” he added.
Salvana stressed that it is very important to wear face masks as such materials can damage the lung, cause scarring, or damage lung tissue.
Meanwhile, Salvana has urged residents temporarily staying at evacuation centers to always observe minimum health and safety protocols to prevent an outbreak of Covid-19 and other viral illnesses.
“Of course the usual that happens in evacuation centers, close quarters, you can have outbreaks of diarrhea, an outbreak of viral illnesses. So kinakailangan po talaga nating sundin ang ating minimum health standards ( So it is really important we follow our minimum health standards),” the infectious disease expert said.