Concerned health workers remind the people that the use of face masks can help ward off the transmission of not just COVID-19, but other diseases as well.
The Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 (HPAAC) said wearing face masks is one of the basic ways to protect oneself against viruses.
“As healthcare professionals, we still see how COVID-19 affecting families and vulnerable individuals,” said HPAAC in a statement.
“But as we have seen from the past two years, wearing masks is a simple, practical, and effective way to prevent transmission of Covid-19 and other diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and chronic respiratory diseases,” the group said.
The alliance issued the statement following the government’s decision to make wearing of face masks voluntary in both indoor and outdoor spaces nationwide.
HPAAC reiterated that the COVID-19 virus is airborne.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday signed an executive order (EO) allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in indoor settings.
Under EO 7, the wearing of face masks in indoor and outdoor settings shall be voluntary except in healthcare facilities, medical transport, and public transportation by land, air, or sea.
The liberalization of the face mask mandate has been recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) through its Resolution 3 (series 2022).
Mask-wearing is still encouraged for the elderly, individuals with comorbidities, immunocompromised persons, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals, and symptomatic individuals, according to the EO.
“A policy of voluntary wearing of face masks in both indoor and outdoor settings is a positive step towards normalization, and a welcome development that would encourage activities and boost efforts toward the full reopening of the economy,” Marcos said.
The minimum public health standards (MPHS) will continue to be strictly enforced.
The EO also directs the Department of Health to update the MPHS guidelines.
Marcos, meanwhile, encouraged provinces, highly-urbanized cities, independent component cities, and municipalities with low-risk classification but Alert Level 2 status to meet vaccination targets to undertake efforts in expanding their vaccination and booster coverage.
In September, Marcos signed EO 3, allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in outdoor settings, particularly in open spaces and non-crowded areas with good ventilation.
The latest order comes more than a month after Marcos Jr. allowed the voluntary use of face masks in outdoor settings.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Philippines has logged 3.99 million COVID-19 infections, of which 21,215 are considered active cases, latest data from the DOH showed. The tally includes over 63,000 fatalities.
So far, some 73.5 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against the disease. Those who have received the additional jab is at 20.5 million.