DOH to release mpox guidelines for barbershops, salons, spa

The Department of Health (DOH) is currently drafting guidelines or health protocols for businesses that have close contact with customers including parlors, barbershops, and spas.

“Walang mawawala kung magsuot po ng gloves at saka 'yung ating facemask. Bakit? Kasi 'yung ating mga barbero, stylist beauticians intimate contact 'yan. Our interest is to continue the business activities while making sure that health is still the main consideration,” said Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, DOH spokesperson in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(Nothing will be lost if you wear gloves and then our facemask. Why? Because our barbers, and stylist beauticians are intimate contacts.)

Currently, the small pox vaccine is used in other countries as an antidote to mpox.

Domingo said that DOH already signified its intent from the World Health Organization (WHO) to get access to smallpox vaccines to help protect against the mpox virus. 

“Dahil ang crisis nasa Africa, doon nila inuuna buhos ng bakuna pero we are very much interested and nag-signify na rin tayo ng intent sa WHO na pag nag-shift na 'yung global stategy at nag-start na mag-distribute ng bakuna nakataas na kamay ng Pilipinas,” said Domingo. 

(Because the crisis is in Africa, that is where they prioritize pouring the vaccine, but we are very much interested and we have also signified our intent to the WHO that when the global strategy shifts and the distribution of vaccine starts, the Philippines already has its hands raised.)

Domingo said that the Philippines has cold chain and supply chain facilities that were used during the COVID-19 pandemic as storage for the vaccines.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Monday that only patients showing symptoms of mpox are getting treatment so far through supportive care.

Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks. The rashes are accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. 

Anyone can get mpox, and the virus can be transmitted to humans through close and intimate contact with someone infectious, through contaminated materials like used clothes or utensils, or infected animals. 

The DOH has advised the use of soap and water to kill the virus and to use gloves when washing contaminated materials.

So far, there are ten confirmed mpox cases in the country, with the recent one detected in a 33-year-old male Filipino national with no travel history outside the country “but with close, intimate contact three weeks before symptom onset.”

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has also tasked concerned agencies to continue monitoring the areas and individuals who are considered to be mostly vulnerable to mpox. — Sherylin Untalan/BAP, GMA Integrated News