No need for face masks for Mpox, transmission not airborne—DOH
By Jel Santos
Face masks are not necessary to prevent monkeypox (Mpox) transmission, as the virus spreads through close and intimate contact, not through the air like Covid-19, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Sunday, June 1.
“Sa airborne illness ‘yun kagaya ng Covid, pero sa sakit na ito na skin-to-skin contact ang hawaan, ay mag-long sleeves ka at huwag dumikit sa mga taong may nakapantal. Kung ikaw naman ay may sakit ay maglagi ka sa bahay para hindi ka makagawa ng ibang tao (That’s for airborne illnesses like COVID. But for this disease that spreads via skin-to-skin contact, wear long sleeves and don’t touch people with rashes. If you’re the one infected, stay home so you don’t spread it to others),”DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa said, responding to recent face mask advisories issued by some local government units (LGUs) amid concerns over Mpox.
“Ang hawaan diyan ay close and intimate contact (Transmission happens through close and intimate contact).”
Herbosa said public protection should focus on avoiding skin-to-skin contact, not wearing face masks.
He explained that unlike COVID-19, Mpox, particularly the Clade II strain currently present in the country, is mild and self-limiting.
“Iyong Mpox natin is ‘yung Clade II, ito ‘yung mild at self-limiting, ibig sabihin magpapantal-pantal ka, pangit pero mag-re-recover ka at kung mag-stay ka lang sa bahay at mag-isolate ka, hindi ka makakahawa ng ibang tao so hindi siya nakakatakot (Our Mpox cases are Clade II, which is mild and self-limiting. You’ll get rashes—it’s unsightly—but you’ll recover. If you just stay home and isolate, you won’t infect others, so it’s not something to be feared),” he stated.
The health chief emphasized that the more dangerous strain, Clade I-B, has not been detected in the Philippines.
“Pero iyong Clade I-B na binabantayan natin, ‘yung galing Africa, iyan ang nakakamatay, mataas ang mortality so iyan ang hinahanap naming. Wala pa kaming nakita since last year (But the Clade I-B we’re monitoring, the one from Africa, that’s deadly and has high mortality. That’s what we’re watching for, and we haven’t seen any cases since last year),” he said.
As such, Herbosa disputed claims circulating on social media about a supposed spike in cases and an impending lockdown.
“Hindi po dumadami [ang Mpox]. Kasi noong kinumpara namin ang Mpox last year at Mpox this year, mas mababa. Pati ‘yung Mpox ng May at April, mas mataas pa ‘yung April. Walang katotohanan na nag-i-increase. Wala rin katotohanan na mag-lo-lockdown. Walang lockdown (Mpox cases are not increasing. When we compared last year’s numbers to this year’s, it’s actually lower. Even May had fewer cases than April. There’s no truth to any increase, and no truth to any lockdown. There will be no lockdown).”