DOH revising face shield guidelines –Vergeire

The Department of Health (DOH) is working on revisions to the face shield policy following a directive from President Rodrigo Duterte.

In an online briefing on Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the revisions would have to be approved by eight government agencies, including the DOH.

Under the recommendation of the DOH Technical Advisory Group that was endorsed by Duterte, the use of face shields should be limited only to high-risk activities such as those under 3Cs: closed, crowded, and close contact.

“These include indoor activities, especially in settings where there is crowding or exposure risk or promotes close contact based on the nature of work such as establishments and in transportation,” Vergeire said.

It was also recommended that face shields be used in indoor and outdoor dining, except when eating, indoor and outdoor gatherings or crowded settings, and indoor and outdoor activities that promote close contact, such as personal care services.

“It is highly recommended to use in settings not otherwise stated, especially in alert levels 3, 4, and 5,” she said.

Earlier in the year, Duterte had appeared to relax the face shield mandates only to change his mind, citing the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. — DVM, GMA News