DOH says cloth mask can be washed and reused, warns vs. using gasoline

The public should wash their used cloth mask over and over amid the COVID-19 pandemic and not soak it in gasoline as suggested by President Rodrigo Duterte, the Department of Health said on Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the clarification after Duterte told the public in a briefing that people can disinfect their face mask by spraying it with Lysol, if not soaking it in gasoline or diesel. 

“Alam niyo naman 'pag nagsasalita si Presidente, baka, he, 'yung mga jokes lang niya 'yun, especially 'yung sa gasolina,” Vergeire said in a DOH online forum.

“Ang ibang mask, puwede natin labhan ng paulit-ulit, katulad ng cloth mask. Puwede natin 'yan labhan at dapat labhan pagkatapos gamitin sa isang araw. Kailangan lalabhan, papatuyuin, papabilad sa araw, saka gagamitin ulit,” Vergeire added.

The DOH official then cited the department's memorandum on the rational use of protective equipment which says that those with COVID-19 symptoms should wear a surgical mask, while those who work in hospitals should use an N95 mask. As for those outside the hospital with no symptoms, a cloth mask can be used—a policy that is backed by the World Health Organization. 

Vergeire then said that surgical and N95 masks are for single use only and must be disposed of properly to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

“Iyong mga surgical mask at N95 mask e single use only. Hindi mo 'yan puwede hugasan. Kasi 'pag hinugasan mo 'yan, may mga components ‘yang mask na certain filtering mechanism. Kapag hinugasan mo o binasa mo 'yan, mawawala na ang effect nu'n. Hindi na siya magiging effective in filtering these viruses,” Vergeire said.

“So hindi 'yan dapat hinuhugasan. Pagkagamit mo, within eight hours or kapag soiled na siya, kailangan itapon at palitan na siya,” she added.

The Philippines has 70,764 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday. Of this number, 23,281 recovered while 1,837 died. 

A total of 45,646 are active cases. —KG, GMA News