ADVERTISEMENT
Sotto questions gov’t pandemic response after face shield policy retained
By MA. ANGELICA GARCIA,GMA NewsSenate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday questioned the government's COVID-19 pandemic response following President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to require face shields indoors and outdoors.
"So-called health experts daw says face shields will remain, everywhere! Now I know why the Handling of the pandemic is not good!" Sotto tweeted.
Last week, Sotto said that Duterte agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals.
"Last night, the President agreed that face shields should only be used in hospitals. Allowed us to remove ours! Attn DOH!" he said in a tweet.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed what Sotto said, adding, “When the President has decided, that is the policy.”
On Monday, Roque also announced in his press briefing
ADVERTISEMENT
Hours later, however, Roque said that Duterte has directed that face shields are still mandatory indoors and outdoors after the health department found more cases of the Delta variant, the coronavirus variant first reported in India.
"Acting on the advice of health experts and in view of the Delta variant, PRRD declared that the wearing of face shields, both indoor and outdoor, is still mandatory," presidential spokesman Harry Roque wrote in a tweet.
During the President's Talk to the People briefing on Monday night, Duterte stressed that the face shield policy stays.
The Department of Health said 17 cases of the more infectious Delta variant were detected in the country.
The Philippines has so far recorded 1,364,239 COVID-19 cases with 1,284,643 recoveries and 23,749 fatalities. — BM, GMA News