The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated on Tuesday, Oct. 25, that people can be better protected against Covid-19 if they use multiple layers of protection.

“The DOH reminds the public that the more layers of protection we employ, the more protected we are against Covid-19,” the agency said in a statement.

“These include vaccination, masking, distancing, ventilation, and sanitation, as well as taking care of one's health,” it added.

This statement was issued after Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco said that the government is poised to allow the voluntary wearing of face masks indoors.

DOH said it has “illustrated all potential scenarios” to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) “during discussions concerning masking mandates.”

It noted that the IATF is a “collegial body that takes into consideration the concerns of all sectors.”

The DOH said it is important for the public to assess their risk, especially during the upcoming holiday celebrations.

“The decision to ease masking empowers each and every one of us by giving us the choice to decide based on our personal context and risk appetite,” the state health agency said.

“With this freedom to choose, it is therefore important for us to assess our individual risk thoroughly before deciding if it is safe and wise to remove our masks, especially now that the Undas and Christmas seasons are approaching and we expect increased Covid-19 transmission brought about by greater mobility,” it added.

Last Sept. 12, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed an executive order (EO) that allows the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings, particularly in “open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation.”

Current protocol states that “face masks shall continue to be worn in indoor private or public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air, or sea, and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.”