DOH urges wearing of face masks at home to combat COVID-19 family clustering

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday renewed its call for the public to wear face masks at home to combat the clustering of COVID-19 cases within households.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said wearing face masks at home will help cut the chain of transmission.

“Lalo na po sa mga bahay na merong matatanda, merong mga kasama sa bahay na meron ding sakit katulad ng hypertension or diabetes, napakahalaga na nagfe-face mask tayo,” she said.

[Especially in households with elderly members or persons with hypertension or diabetes, it is very important that we wear face masks.]

“Sila po naiiwan sa bahay, tayo po lumalabas. So tayo ‘yung posibleng magdala ng mga infection na ito sa loob ng bahay at napakabilis po talaga mag-transmit within our homes,” she added.

[They are left at home while we go outside, so we might be the ones bringing the virus to our houses and it can transmit really quickly within our homes.]

The DOH earlier expressed concern about family clustering amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. 

Health authorities urged those who tested positive for COVID-19 to recuperate in a facility instead of their homes.

“Kailangan maramdaman talaga nating lahat… na napakahalaga ng ginagawa nating minimum public health standards,” De Guzman said.

[We all need to understand that observing minimum public health standards is really important.]

The Philippines has 48,157 active COVID-19 cases as of Sunday afternoon. — Julia Mari Ornedo/RSJ, GMA News