Isko Moreno to gov’t: Use science to prove face shields protect vs COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: In this December 21, 2020, photo, a man and his companion wear face masks resembling the Philippine flag in Divisoria, Manila on Monday, as the IATF recently announced that wearing face shields along with face mask when out in public is now mandatory. INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — While Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno said he has no problem with implementing the face shield policy if required, he said the government should at least prove its effectiveness in stopping the spread of COVID-19 using science.

Moreno said his call to revisit the face shield policy was the “points of our people” that they have to convey as mayors of their cities.

“We cannot go on like this without proving to our people the scientific basis of any policy with health protocols. We cannot just use, ‘I cannot imagine,’  you cannot just use imagination all alone,” Moreno said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.

“Sa akin lang, ang panawagan ko, I don’t argue, okay sa akin gusto nyo gawin pa rin natin yung face shield. But walang masama, let’s revisit the policy and prove it scientifically na eto, yung cost-benefit analysis malaman naman natin,” he added.

(For me, I’m okay with implementing a face shield policy. But there’s nothing wrong with revisiting the policy and proving it scientifically, we have to know the cost-benefit analysis.)

Moreno said there are several factors that have to be considered in the imposition of the face shield policy such as the cost it will entail the public, its health repercussions for those with respiratory illnesses, environmental effects of plastic wastes, and safety issues.

“May pagkukulang na nga tayo bilang pamahalaan tapos yung ibang hinaing ng mga tao, ikikibit-balikat lang natin. I think that is unfair,” Moreno said.

(As the government, we already have shortcomings yet we ignore the complaints of the people. I think that is unfair.)

Later on in the interview, Moreno said: “We have to show our people and tell them this is science, not imagination.”

On Thursday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III Thursday opposed Moreno’s proposal to scrap the mandatory face shield rule due to the low COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

The national government started requiring the public to wear face shields on top of face masks at all times when going outside of their residences in December last year.

/MUF