Are we really the only nation in the world that requires its citizens to wear face shields? Apparently so, according to Anakalusagan Representative Mike Defensor. On June 9, he questioned this mandatory protocol before the House committee on good government during its third hearing on the alleged red tape in the processes of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health (DOH).
But it seems this won’t be the case anymore. Senate President Vicente Sotto III announced that President Rodrigo Duterte will soon order DOH to stop the mandatory wearing of face shields. Malacañang has yet to confirm this.
Sotto, who met with the President Wednesday night, said in a tweet today, June 17, that the President agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals.
“‘We’re the only country using this in the world,’ sabi naming ganon. Sabi niya (Duterte) ‘Yeah, I’ll tell DOH, tigilan na ‘yan’,” the Senate leader said in an interview.
(“We’re the only country using this in the world,” we told him. He said “Yeah, I’ll tell DOH, to stop this.”)
“Parang gano’n e. Hindi ko matandaan ‘yung exact words niya pero [sinabihan niya kami] na ‘alisin na ‘yan.’ Parang gano’n e. Kaya inalis naming lahat,” he added.
(It’s something like that. I can’t remember his exact words but he told us to take it off, so we did.)
No recommendation from WHO or CDC to begin with
On Wednesday, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said face shields may not be worn when outdoors as the risk of transmitting COVID-19 in such a setting is low.
“Kapag nasa outside naman kasi, alam naman natin na the risk of transmission is very low lalung-lalo na kapag naglalakad ka lang sa kalye o magta-trabaho ka kasi maka-affect ‘yung moist (moisture) nito so pwede ninyo tanggalin ‘yan,” Vega said. (When you’re outside, we know that the risk of transmission is very low, especially if you’re only walking down the street or working, so you can remove it.)
“Pero kapag pumasok kayo sa indoors kailangan may face shield kasi ito ‘yung ating proteksyon na hindi kayo makatransmit o mahawaan kayo,” he added. (But if you go indoors, you need to wear face shields because this serves as your protection from getting or transmitting COVID-19.)
According to Resolution No. 88, full face shields should be used when in public places—meaning it should cover your entire face from the top of your head to your chin. Citizens who are found not wearing face masks will be subjected to penalties and punishments imposed by their respective LGUs. Photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer
The government’s pandemic task force imposed the mandatory wearing of both face shields and face masks outdoors at all times in December last year.
Neither the World Health Organization (WHO) nor the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommendations on making wearing face shields a policy. But the former specifies that face shields can be used to protect the eyes against respiratory droplets—COVID-19’s primary mode of transmission—along with medical masks. The CDC, meanwhile, says face shields on their own are not as effective at protecting the wearer or the people around them from respiratory droplets because of the large gaps below and alongside the face.