An OCTA Research fellow on Friday, Dec. 15 advised the public, particularly vulnerable groups, to wear face masks in public places to avoid contracting respiratory diseases.

"The face mask serves as protection, not only against Covid but also against various illnesses, especially now during the holiday season when there are numerous gatherings, crowded malls, and different places," OCTA fellow Guido David said in Filipino in a PTV televised interview.

The recommendation is prompted by cases of influenza-like illness and "walking pneumonia," both of which exhibit similar symptoms.

"What they call 'walking pneumonia' exhibits similar symptoms to Covid. Both present flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body ache, and cough," David said.

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"Therefore, it's challenging to distinguish between the two without undergoing testing," he added.

David also emphasized that wearing a face mask will help deter the transmission of viruses and bacteria.

He pointed out that the walking pneumonia has actually been around for a while and is not new.

"It only attracted attention because there was a surge of walking pneumonia cases in China," David said.

"Most of the cases are pediatric, so it affects children more, but it is a milder form of pneumonia and can be caused by bacteria," he added.

Although it is not "alarming,” he reminded the public that the symptoms could be something else.

"It's best that when feeling unwell, especially if the symptoms are somewhat severe, to consult with a physician or a doctor," he noted.

Covid update

Furthermore, David confirmed the increase of Covid cases in Metro Manila, increasing by 13.4 percent.

"It seems there was a period when it was relatively low over the past six months, but the previous surge we observed six months ago," he said.

However, in terms of monitoring hospitalizations, David emphasized that there was no significant increase yet.

"Although I heard that three hospitals, including the Philippine Children's Medical Center, have reported that their Covid wards are starting to fill up," he said.

Meanwhile, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Eric Tayag pointed out that the wearing of face masks is not yet mandatory.

"Considering the situation in hospitals or specific areas, they can implement mask-wearing if there are many cases in their jurisdiction," Tayag said.

"But for now, we haven't seen any mandate for that (face mask)," he added.

Meanwhile, he added that if an individual tests positive for Covid, they should isolate themselves for five days.

"After the five days, if there's no more fever or if the cough and other symptoms are improving, we'll then monitor our breathing, especially for senior citizens and those taking maintenance medication," he said.

"If you have a pulse oximeter at home, it measures oxygen levels. If it drops below 90 percent, it's not advisable to stay at home, and you need to go to the hospital," he emphasized.

Moreover, he recommended that if the symptoms are severe, and due to the potential seriousness of complications, going to the hospital is an option.