Palace urges public to wear face shields in public transport

Malacañang on Friday asked public transport passengers to wear face shields on top of face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a televised briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace respects the order of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to require the use of face shields in any mode of public transportation.

“It is within the jurisdiction of DOTr to require the wearing of face shields in public transportation, so kinakailangan sundan po natin ‘yan,” Roque said, adding the COVID-19 task force “highly recommended” the use of face shields “everywhere else.”

The DOTr’s initiative aims to further reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus in public transport facilities as health authorities have pointed out that the use of face shields and masks reduces exposure to and emission of respiratory droplets considerably.

Stringent preventive measures are still in effect to contain the spread of COVID-19 in all public transport facilities.

These include the mandatory wearing of face masks, strict enforcement of the social distancing measure, and handwashing or hand sanitizing, according to the DOTr.

Talking and using mobile phones are likewise discouraged inside all public transportation, it said. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News