DOH recommends wearing of face masks amid rising COVID-19 cases

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa on Tuesday urged the public to wear face masks amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the country. 

Herbosa made the recommendation after Senator Nancy Binay asked for his opinion on masking, considering that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and other lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19.

“We recommend optional wearing of mask for people who are high risk, elderly people in places which are enclosed... It would be a good practice to also wear your mask, especially if you are prone to illnesses,” Herbosa said during the hearing of the Commission on Appointments on his ad interim appointment as Health Secretary.

As for children who exhibit symptoms, he said they should only stay at home and not be allowed to go to school so as to not infect other kids. 

The Philippines recorded 1,340 new coronavirus cases from November 28 to December 4, 2023, which is the highest number of fresh infections in 19 weeks. 

DOH’s data showed that the new COVID-19 infections in the recent week were 10% higher than the 1,218 cases monitored from November 21 to November 27, 2023.

It also marked the fourth straight week of increasing COVID-19 cases and the fourth straight week of over 1,000 new weekly cases. 

Aside from rising COVID-19 cases, Herbosa added that the wearing of face masks can also prevent the spread of mycoplasma pneumoniae or "walking pneumonia."

In the same hearing earlier, Herbosa said that there is no outbreak of such in the Philippines yet amid the rising cases of respiratory illness in China and other European countries.

He also explained that now is really the season of respiratory illness, thus many people get sick. 

He also appealed to those who have symptoms like coughs and colds to refrain from attending holiday gatherings so there would not be further transmission of the illnesses. 

“And then of course, talagang let’s watch our health. Reminders to all our people during Christmas season, pareho pa rin, kung ano ‘yung bawal sa inyo, bawal pa rin po kasi maraming sinasabi na this is the time of the year na once lang kakain sila ng bawal sa kanila, nauuwi sila sa ospital po,” Herbosa added. 

(Let’s watch our health. I’m reminding people that those that are prohibited for you are still prohibited even if it’s Christmas season. Many say that it’s the only time of the year that they get to eat whatever they want, but they end up in hospitals after doing so.)

Mandatory masking?

Despite the slow rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said that the DOH is not recommending the return of mandatory wearing of face masks because the situation now is “expected.”

“Wala pa namang kaming hakbangin na magbigay ng napakalaking alerto na mag-ingat lahat o magkaroon ng mandatory masking sapagkat ito’y inaasahan natin lalo na’t wala nang restriction at maraming lumalabas na sapagkat Kapaskuhan at marami talaga nagkakaroon ng pakikipag-ugnayan sa maraming tao,” he said in an ambush interview.  

(We have not yet taken any steps to alert the public that they should be careful or go back to mandatory masking because we expected this to happen, especially since there are no more restrictions and many people are going out and interacting with others because it is the Christmas season.)

He also said that there is no overcrowding in hospitals as of the moment.

“May ilang rehiyon na nakitaan ng konting pagtaas. Subalit nung tiningnan ang mga ospital, kaya pa naman at ‘di pa naman nagkakaroon ng overcrowding lalo sa ICU (intensive care units),” he added.

(Some regions have a slight increase in cases. But when we looked at the hospitals, there was still no overcrowding, especially in the ICUs.)

Tayag also advised those who have symptoms to get themselves tested, and to suspect that they have COVID–19 if they have cough and flu.

He also said that the Health department is still determining if the rise of COVID-19 cases are caused by the new variants of interests reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Currently listed under WHO’s circulating variants of interest are the XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, EG.5, and BA.2.86.

Meanwhile, DV.7, XBB, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.9.2, and XBB.2.3 are tagged as variants under monitoring. — VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News