MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday appealed to the public to refrain from buying and using N95 face masks and leave them instead for use by health workers who are at the frontline of containing the threat of the novel coronavirus acute respiratory syndrome or 2019-nCoV ARD.
“We ask the public to be very, very judicious in the use of these materials. For example, the N95 mask, we want to reserve this for health workers who are actually handling cases, either PUIs (patients under investigation) or confirmed positive cases kasi sila talaga ang nangangailangan nito (because they are the ones who really need this),” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said in a press briefing.
N95 face masks can better block small airborne particles as compared to surgical masks.
Domingo said the DOH is coordinating with suppliers of face masks after several stores in Metro Manila ran out of the medical item within hours after health officials confirmed the country’s first nCoV infection case.
He said the DOH is also coordinating with the Department of Trade and Industry regarding a price freeze on face masks to prevent profiteering.
Surgical masks, meanwhile, can be used by the public in “certain occasions,” according to Domingo.
“Not everybody needs to wear a mask every time. Unless for example, you feel that you are high risk for illness then that’s useful for you. If you are in an area that’s very congested, especially if there are sick people in the area then that would be useful,” said the DOH official.
He added the use of face masks will also be useful for those who have illnesses communicable through airborne droplets of bodily fluids.
“But we would like to remind everybody that using a face mask is only effective if you couple it with other hygienic practices like proper handwashing regularly,” he said.
As of 12 noon Friday, there are 31 PUIs in the country recorded by the DOH, including two new cases in Metro Manila and in Western Visayas.
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