Galvez, Duque support bringing back face shields

National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. on Monday expressed his support for the reimposition of the mandatory face shield policy amid the threat of the Omicron variant.

According to Galvez, face shields will provide additional protection against the variant, which is suggested to cause a higher risk of reinfection based on preliminary evidence.

“So kami po ni (Health) Sec. (Francisco) Duque at saka ng (Sec. Duque and I as well as the) whole DOH and also some of the experts are with the possible reusing of the face shield,” Galvez said in a CNN Philippines interview.

He stressed the importance of face shields, citing the country’s experience with the highly contagious Delta variant.

“Kasi nakita namin even the WHO, ‘yung nangyari sa atin sa Delta talagang na-control natin ang transmission (we saw, even the WHO, what happened with Delta, we were able to control the transmission),” he said.

“We were able to really avoid ‘yung excessive deaths and also we were able to withstand ‘yung hospitalization. It’s because of the extra protection given by face shield,” he added.

The government lifted the face shield policy on November 15, only requiring its use in areas under alert level 5.

In a media briefing, Health Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said the agency will continuously monitor the situation and issue a recommendation, if necessary.

“But again, dahil evolving pa ang situation at marami pang unknowns dito sa variant na ito, tuloy-tuloy natin pag-aaralan ang datos at tayo ay magkakaroon ng mga bagong rekomendasyon,” she said.

(But again, because the situation is still evolving and there are still many unknowns regarding the variant, we will continuously monitor the data and issue a new recommendation.)

'Wear face shields'

Meanwhile, acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles on Monday encouraged the public to wear face shields in order to have "added protection" amid the threat of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Nograles explained that at present, the same rules apply wherein voluntary wearing of face shields is applicable in non-healthcare settings while it is required in healthcare settings.

"As it stands, ganoon pa rin po 'yung latest resolution ng IATF tungkol sa face shields. Ito po ay mandatory sa mga healthcare settings at sa ibang settings naman po ay voluntary siya," Nograles said during the Palace briefing.

(As it stands, the same rules apply in using face shields. It is mandatory in healthcare settings while in other settings, it's voluntary.)

"Of course it's an added layer of protection. While it is voluntary, siyempre ako personally, I would like to encourage ang ating mga kababayan na kung kaya naman po magsuot ng face shield ay magsuot tayo ng face shield para dagdag proteksyon na lamang po," he added.

(Personally, I would like to encourage the public that if you can, then wear face shields as an added protection.)

Nograles stressed that the minimum requirement is still wearing face masks.

NCR under Alert Level 1?

Meanwhile, Nograles said the IATF is still finalizing the parameters in determining whether Metro Manila could be placed under Alert Level 1 as the country monitors the developments with the latest coronavirus variant.

"Pina-finalize pa rin po ng IATF 'yung parameters na gagamitin natin para makapag-deescalate o makapag-declare po ng localities under Alert Level 1. Hindi pa namin naisapinal," Nograles said.

(The IATF is still finalizing the parameters which will be used in the possible deescalation of the alert level in NCR. We haven't finalized them.)

The National Capital Region is under Alert Level 2 until the end of the month.

The World Health Organization said it is not yet clear if Omicron is more transmissible compared to other variants or if it causes more severe disease.

However, the variant has at least 30 mutations, leading to fears that it may make vaccines less effective due to the difference in spike protein.

The Philippines has imposed travel restrictions over Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique.

Hong Kong, which has also detected the variant, remains on the country’s yellow list amid calls from the DOH and other experts to impose travel restrictions on the Chinese territory. 

PNP awaiting decision

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Dionardo Carlos said on Monday the police force would abide by the decision of the IATF should it reimpose the mandatory face shield policy amid the threat of the new variant.

“Kung ‘yan ay makakatulong para maiwasan ‘yung pagkalat nitong COVID-19 virus, we leave it up to the experts kaya nga po palagi po kaming nagbabantay sa mga lumalabas na gabay o resolution ng atin pong IATF at nandiyan naman po yan,” Carlos said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

(If that would help avoid the spread of this COVID-19 virus, then we leave it up to the experts. This is why we always stay tuned with the IATF’s advisories or resolutions.)

The chief PNP said that the law enforcers’ face shields were just set aside but are ready to be used again should the government require everyone to do so.

“So as long as we could be of help, ma-prevent naman natin itong ganitong variant na ‘to (to help prevent this variant). Kasama po kami sa buong gobyerno para mapangalagaan po ‘yung ating mamamayan para hindi na ho mas kumalat itong hindi natin nakikitang kalaban na COVID-19 virus,” he added.

(We are at one with the government to protect our countrymen so that the COVID-19, which we couldn’t see, would not further spread.) —With a report from Giselle Ombay/AOL/KG/LDF, GMA News