By CHITO CHAVEZ
The Department of the Interior and Local Government yesterday asked local government units to pass ordinances making it mandatory for residents to wear face masks in public places to stop the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.
Following the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said the issuance of the ordinance compelling the residents to wear face masks in public can lessen the chance of the virus from spreading.
With the surging COVID-19 cases in the country, Año said the LGUs must act now and implement this measure as the COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to public health.
“We must be vigilant. This is our small way of ensuring that the virus will not spread,’’ Año said.
Año said the LGUs need to adapt responsive measures as the country is currently faced with an imposing COVID-19 pandemic challenge.
He said the government will accept “improvised or home-made face masks so long as people use them in public.’’
The DILG chief said coupled with the other mechanisms currently existing in line with the enhanced community quarantine such as physical distancing, usage of quarantine passes, and encouraging people to stay at home, the mandatory wearing of face masks whenever people are outside is an additional measure that can be practiced within the community.
Año noted that “right now, we cannot be limiting ourselves to minimal preventive measures.”
He said the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of America are mulling on changing their stand on the use of face masks in controlling the coronavirus.
WHO had initially recommended that community level usage of face masks is not encouraged and should only be worn by people with COVID-19 symptoms and health care workers.
But Año said the US study had prompted WHO and the CDC to reverse their earlier recommendation.
The study suggested that droplets from coughs and sneezes could be projected farther than originally thought, hence, requiring people to wear face masks for some protection.
