黑料社 FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擫ast August, the Philippine health department expressed concern and hostility toward a local government鈥檚 move to make wearing of face masks against COVID-10 optional. Around a week later, it seemed to warm up to almost the same idea鈥攚hich might be soon implemented nationwide.
The government鈥檚 pandemic Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has recently recommended lifting the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors.
At a press briefing on Wednesday (September 7), Press Secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles announced the resolution issued by the IATF, saying that wearing face masks was recommended as 鈥渙ptional鈥� in open spaces, non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation.
The same resolution, however, emphasized that senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals are 鈥渉ighly encouraged鈥� to continue wearing face masks.
READ: PH relaxes protocol after IATF recommended optional face mask use outdoors
Angeles also mentioned that President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. would soon issue an executive order (EO) approving the recommended policy and other guidelines proposed by the IATF.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Department of Health officer-in-charge, said on Thursday (September 9) that Marcos has already approved IATF鈥檚 proposal to make the wearing of face masks optional outdoors.
But Vergeire clarified that the policy is not yet in effect until the Office of the President issues the EO鈥攚hich would serve as the legal instrument or the go-signal for enforcement.
鈥淲e had a meeting earlier with the President and until it is articulated through a form of a policy coming from the Office of the President, that鈥檚 the time that it has become official,鈥� she said in Filipino in an interview over One 黑料社 PH.
鈥淲e will not yet implement [the proposed face mask mandate] [because] the Office of the President has yet to release the policy (EO),鈥� she added.
Following the announcement, several health experts have expressed concern about the recommended policy鈥攚ith some pointing out 鈥渕ixed messages鈥� from the DOH, which they worry could confuse the public.
Cebu City鈥檚 optional face mask policy
Last August 31, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama issued and signed an EO that gave city residents the discretion to wear, or not to wear, face masks in open spaces.
Through EO No. 5 series of 2022鈥攐r 鈥淎n order declaring the use of face mask within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Cebu as non-obligatory, but a measure of individual self-preservation and protection鈥濃�攚earing of face mask in open spaces in the city is no longer required.
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However, the wearing of face masks remains mandatory in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. The order also stated that the local government will leave it at the discretion of business establishments and building managers whether to require the use of face masks.
Similar to the IATF proposal, the order issued weeks ago emphasized that the use of face masks is still mandatory for persons who are immuno-compromised, sick, or have flu-like symptoms and who were also 鈥渟trongly advised鈥� to stay at home and seek immediate medical consultation.
In June, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia also signed an order lifting the requirement to wear face masks outdoors鈥攁 move that was immediately and initially frowned upon by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and DOH.
That same month, DOH recommended that wearing face masks remain enforced until the end of 2022.
READ: DOH recommends: Wear face mask until end of 2022
The DOH likewise expressed the same concern over the EO issued in Cebu City. It expressed worry that other local governments would follow the example.
鈥淭hat is one of our worries. We know that when these kinds of (policies) by some local governments continue, other (local government units) may follow suit, and that would be really disastrous for all of us,鈥� Vergeire told reporters last September 2.
Vergeire added that the people must first build a 鈥渨all of immunity鈥� before local governments implement or allow the optional wearing of face masks outdoors.
READ: DOH: Eased mask use 鈥榙isastrous鈥�
READ: 鈥榃all of immunity鈥� must rise before optional mask wearing 鈥� DOH
Days after, last September 5, Rama signed EO No. 6, which included supplementary provisions to his EO No. 5, introducing some changes to his previous policy.
Among the amendments included in the latest order stated that the voluntary use of face masks in the city鈥檚 open spaces will be under a 鈥渢rial and observation period鈥� from September 1 to December 31, 2022.
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The DOH also said that it was unaware of the local government鈥檚 鈥渢rial period鈥� for implementing the non-obligatory use of face masks in Cebu City.
READ: DOH unaware of Cebu City鈥檚 鈥榯rial period鈥� for optional use of face masks
However, in just a few days, the DOH seemed to have changed its tune on the mandatory wearing of face mask when it welcomed the IATF鈥檚 recommendations and policy.
Among those who noticed the health department鈥檚 confusing stance on the COVID safety policy was health reform advocate and former special adviser to the National Task Force on COVID-19 Dr. Tony Leachon.
In a Twitter post last September 7, Leachon pointed that out and said: 鈥淪ecretary OIC Vergeire was against the Cebu City lifting of face mask mandate outdoors but yielded to the IATF despite the 11.6% positivity rate, low booster rate鈥︹��
鈥淎re there any health experts in the current IATF? Making the recommendation and saying it is not yet a policy will confuse the public amid projections of COVID cases increasing,鈥� he added.
Confusing messages
Adding to the confusion was the health department鈥檚 recent graphics or visual aids, which reminded the public the need for protection against COVID by wearing masks outdoors.
GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan
鈥淲hether required or not, there will be people who will continue to wear face masks anywhere,鈥� the visual aid said in Filipino. 鈥淭here are many reasons why, including the DOH鈥檚 goal that is based on science and advice from health experts.鈥�
Among the reasons cited by the DOH for continued wearing of face masks were:
- COVID-19 is dangerous for senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals.
- Those who experience symptoms, such as cough and colds, should be cautious to prevent infecting others.
- Adults wearing face masks serve as a good example among the younger population.
- It has already been a habit or choice of some people to keep wearing masks.
Despite the explanation that the IATF recommendation鈥攖he mandatory wearing of face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic鈥攚on鈥檛 be policy until an EO from the Office of the President was issued, experts said the graphics uploaded by the DOH might confuse some people.
鈥淪urprisingly, the DOH based on their website has released infographics supporting the use of face masks. It鈥檚 quite counterintuitive,鈥� Leachon told
鈥淚ATF鈥檚 recommendation is to liberalize our mask-wearing mandate and make mask wearing outdoors voluntary across the country鈥攁nd yet DOH released posters/reminders on the importance of masking,鈥� he added.
鈥淚 think DOH doesn鈥檛 want blood in their hands.鈥�
Statistician Peter Cayton, tweeted: 鈥淭his is confusing messaging from policymakers. A confusing message reduces trust.鈥�
Last September 8, Vergeire announced that the DOH wanted to retain the mandatory wearing of face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淭he position of the DOH is for us to continue on masking, but there were several data that were presented also that led to this decision,鈥� Vergeire said when interviewed on ABS-CBN 黑料社 Channel.
鈥淪o having said that, we needed to balance between the health and economy, and what we have compromised would be, this will be done among low-risk individuals and in low-risk settings,鈥� she said.
鈥淪o meaning this will only be done outdoors, in settings where it is not crowded, in settings where there is good ventilation, and this will be done among low-risk individuals 鈥� meaning not the senior citizens, not those with comorbiditt, not the children, and definitely not those having symptoms with COVID-19,鈥� added Vergeire.
However, Malaca帽ang clarified that the optional mask rule outdoors is not yet final.
鈥楴ot yet time鈥� 鈥楾oo early鈥�
According to Angeles, the lifting of the mandatory mask mandate will be piloted by the last quarter of this year, 鈥減rovided there鈥檚 an improvement in the COVID-19 booster vaccination coverage.鈥�
In a recent interview, Vergeire said that the optional mask rule policy might be implemented 鈥渟oon鈥� or 鈥渕aybe in a couple of days after the EO is released.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� she said, adding that Marcos had already instructed the drafting of the EO 鈥渁sap (as soon as possible).鈥�
However, infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante believes that it is not yet time to make optional the wearing of face masks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not yet time. Most of us agree that it鈥檚 not yet time to really put off masks outdoors, even in the downtrend of cases,鈥� Solante said.
He also explained that the mandatory use of face masks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic鈥攅ven with the cases going down or trends going down鈥攈as helped reduce the number of infections in the country.
鈥淲e focused on protecting the population both indoor and outdoor and for me, it (wearing of face mask) will be the last policy that should be relaxed,鈥� he said.
For Cayton, the recommendation is 鈥渢oo early鈥� as the country鈥檚 positivity rate has yet to slide down. He cited the World Health Organization (WHO) as saying that a positivity rate of 5 percent or below is considered 鈥渕oderate鈥� and 2 percent or below as 鈥渓ow.鈥�
According to data from the DOH, the positivity rate from September 4 to 7 is 11.9 percent, far exceeding WHO鈥檚 moderate and low classifications.
GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan
Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) president Maricar Limpin warned against the optional face mask recommendation, explaining that it could slow down the government鈥檚 immunization efforts鈥攑articularly COVID-19 booster doses.
鈥淚t basically also gives the impression to a lot of Filipinos that there is really no need to vaccinate. You should not be afraid of COVID-19. So what will happen to our booster campaign?鈥� Limpin said.
READ: Experts wary over eased face mask rule, warn of impact on anti-COVID vax drive
Due to low booster rate coverage, Vergeire announced that the DOH will not reach its target of inoculating 50 percent of the country鈥檚 population with COVID booster shots in the first 100 days of the Marcos administration鈥攐r by October 8.
鈥淩ight now, our booster doses is really at 23 percent, it is at 18 million. The numbers are really anemic. When we look at this, we really cannot reach the 50 percent during the first 100 days,鈥� she said.
GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan
According to data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, the government has already administered a total of 160,415,968 doses. Of those, 70,281,427 were the first dose while 71,523,190 for second dose.
A total of 18,611,351 booster doses have also been administered across the country.
Communication issues
鈥淭he messaging is very confusing because the government itself does not know what it wants,鈥� Leachon told
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry about this comment. The government has not been transparent with their communication process and when the time comes for real talk they have to make radical counterintuitive moves making the execution difficult,鈥� he added.
Leachon urged government officials and the health department to admit that the mandate to make wearing of face masks optional is to help open up and boost the country鈥檚 economy.
GRAPHIC: Ed Lustan
鈥淎ll they need now is admit that we need to resort to measures to perk up the economy but at the same time, our leaders are requesting support to protect the people,鈥� he said.
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Angeles had pointed to the improving tourism demand in countries that have already eased face mask rules.
鈥淏ecause tourism is front and center in efforts to revive the economy, this matter is being taken seriously,鈥� she said.
In a statement last Friday (September 9), Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco lauded the IATF recommendation, stating that the Philippines is at a 鈥済rave disadvantage鈥� and has to embrace more lenient regulations like top Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries.
READ: DOT: Easing mask mandate will ignite PH tourism recovery
At a House hearing of the committee on health last September 7, Vergeire said the government鈥檚 pandemic response was headed in the direction of 鈥渟lowly shifting to a new normal,鈥� or treating COVID-19 as 鈥渆ndemic.鈥�
鈥淚t is the direction of the [DOH], as well as the whole government, with the approval of the President, that we slowly shift to this new normal,鈥� she told lawmakers.
鈥淲hen we talk about the new normal, this translates to the epidemiologic term of endemicity. Endemicity means cases are already acceptable to the population and stable and deaths are already acceptable,鈥� Vergeire said.
READ: Face mask to be optional when outdoors nationwide
With confusing messages thrown by officials on the recommended mandate on wearing of face masks, Leachon鈥攃iting German theoretical physicist Albert Einstein鈥攕aid 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 explain it to a six-year-old, you don鈥檛 understand it yourself. 鈥�
鈥淭his is perhaps the biggest communication lesson in the pandemic. We often talk about capturing the hearts and minds of people in our roles as communicators in public health, but we have continued to struggle in this aspect,鈥� he added.