DOH not keen on reverting face mask mandate despite rising COVID-19 cases

The Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday it is not considering proposing the mandatory wearing of face masks anew amid the increasing number of new COVID-19 infections.

At a press conference, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the nationwide positivity rate, or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested, has now gone up to 7.6%, from last week’s 6.9%.

Despite this, she explained that there were no discussions regarding the face mask policy as cases and even hospital utilization remain manageable.

“Ang kaso po natin ngayon from just 274 cases per day last week, ngayon nasa 371 cases per day tayo. Tumataas pero hindi naman nagsa-spike nang ganon kataas tulad ng experience natin in the past years,” Vergeire said.

(Our cases went up from just 274 per day last week, to 371 cases per day now. It is increasing but has not spiked as high as what we experienced in the past years.)

“Hindi po tayo ngayon nagko-consider na ibalik ang masking mandate. Ang sa atin lang, galing sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan, we encourage everybody,” she added.

In October last year, Malacañang released Executive Order No. 7, which made the wearing of face masks both indoors and outdoors voluntary amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vergeire thus reminded the public to assess themselves when and where they should put their masks on to lower the risk of infection.

“Piliin natin na alam natin kung kelan tayo magma-mask lalong lalo kung ito ay isang lugar na matao, ang lugar ay pangit ang bentilasyon, kayo ay senior citizens, kayo ay may comorbidities, maaari rin sa ating kabataan pag pumapasok sila sa eskwela,” she said.

(Let's choose when to wear a mask especially if it's a crowded place, the place has poor ventilation, you are senior citizens, you have comorbidities, or a student going to school.)

The Health official also encouraged people to get themselves vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.

The DOH announced last week that healthy adults aged 18 and above would now be allowed to receive the second COVID-19 booster shots, pending the release of its implementing guidelines.

At least 78.4 million Filipinos were already fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, 23.8 million individuals have received their first booster shots, and 4.4 million got their second booster dose. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News