Task force says no need to wear masks in stores

MANILA, Philippines — Supermarkets, groceries and pharmacies do not need to require people to wear face masks before entering their establishments but only to strictly observe social distancing.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases had not issued any guidelines that customers must wear face masks before entering supermarkets.”

“Our rules only stress social distancing inside supermarkets,” Nograles, the IATF spokesperson, said in a public briefing aired on Monday over state-run PTV 4.

He went on: “So let’s just follow that, social distancing. The supermarkets can determine how many people they can accommodate inside to ensure that there is still social distancing.”

Nograles made the remarks amid reports that some supermarkets, groceries and pharmacies had refused entry to customers not wearing any face mask.

The IATF has repeatedly emphasized the importance of social distancing, especially when people assigned to buy food supplies and medicines are outdoors.

Face masks, such as surgical masks, N95 masks and even reusable or washable masks have been scarce even before the rise in coronavirus cases in the country.

This was after Taal Volcano’s eruption in January prompted some Filipinos to buy an excess of supplies, depriving health personnel of the much-needed masks.