Except Face Mask, Wearing Face Shield is also Required Start August 15, 2020

Today is the first day that it is required to wear a face shield for work and public transportation, At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) no face shields are  are not allowed to enter. Others without a face shield were forced to buy inside the terminal for 200.00 pesos each. 

Commuters and motorists in Metro Manila and other provinces are also wearing face shields.

According to the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians, when wearing a face shield and face mask and having a 1 meter of physical distancing, the protection against COVID-19 is almost 100 percent.

Experts also reminded that face shield should be disinfected regularly, use alcohol and then wipe with a clean tissue or rag.

 Beginning August 15, 2020, except face mask, face shields is also required as additional protection against COVID-19, passengers, drivers, and conductors of public vehicles as well as those in the workplace must be required to wear face shields.

Some Filipinos are trying to make their own face shield do you think it is approved by the experts?

Based on the joint memorandum circular of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Trade and Indusry (DTI), the whole face should be covered with a face shield if it is even possible that the face shield should reach to the ear and go beyond the chin. 

According to Dr. Rongene Solante, this is his statement when wearing a face shield:

"Your shield in front of you should not really have a hole, because that is the direct contact of the ear, it would be ok if his face shield covers also the face mask, his improvised face mask, that case his face shield is open up to here only in the nose so you can really see his mouth exposed". 

Even in Department of Transportation (DOTr) it does not pass especially the Styrofoam face mask it is still better to use an N95 face mask or a surgical mask or an ordinary re usable face mask.

Will the quarantine status in Metro Manila be eased or tightened?

According to the palace, on Monday, August 17, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said, "Our president announced from Davao that the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) has already given a recommendation, but we wait the announcement of our president.

So Metro Manila, Province of Bulacan, Province of Cavite, Province of Laguna and Province of Rizal still Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until August 18, 2020. 

Ten places are already under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from August 16, 2020 to August 31, 2020.

1. Batangas Province
2. Cebu City, Cebu
3. Mandaue City, Cebu
4. Talisay City, Cebu
5. Minglanilla, Cebu
6. Consolacion, Cebu
7. Nueva Ecija Province
8. Quezon Province
9. ILOILO City

The other places in the country will be Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) with former General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with Zamboanga City

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also said,  "Even in areas that are already under General Community Quarantine and even those under Modified General Community Quarantine we will still have localized Enhance Community Quarantine, so there is really no end to Enhance Community Quarantine because our Enhance Community Quarantine is now localized. 

August 16, 2020 evening the Metro Manila Council is scheduled to meet to discuss its future recommendation to the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF)

But if Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, chairman of the council is asked he is in favor of extending the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) for another two weeks.

Below is the statement of Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez:

"Para di masayang ang 15 days natin, additional pa tayo nang hanggang end of the month. Kasi kailangan natin ito makontrol, kapag ang tao lumalabas nang lumalabas yong mga tao, hindi natin talaga makontrol yung mga tao, lalong lalaki talaga yung contamination ng Covid-19".

In English Translation

"In order that our 15 days are not wasted, we will be additional until the end of the month. Because we need to control it, when people are coming out when those people are coming out, we can't really control the people, the contamination of Covid-19 will really increase".