Duque: PH past Omicron surge but lifting face mask mandate still ‘premature’

FILE PHOTO: Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The country has already surpassed the surge of COVID-19 cases due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant, but removing the mandatory wearing of face masks at this point is still “premature,” according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

“We’re past the Omicron [surge] but not necessarily COVID kasi hindi mo alam kung mayroong mutations ulit. It’s wrong to say [we’re] past the COVID [crisis]. [We’re] past the Omicron kasi bumaba na eh, like Delta bumaba na, bumaba na tayo sa Alpha,” Duque told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview on Thursday.

(We’re past the Omicron surge but not necessarily of COVID because you don’t know when mutations will again emerge. It’s wrong to say we’re past the COVID crisis. We’re past the Omicron crisis because cases are decreasing, like the situation with Delta and Alpha variants.)

Duque said lifting the face mask rule should be done gradually depending on the daily increase in new infections in the next six to nine months.

“Sa (Regarding) face mask, not yet. At this point, it’s premature. We have to wait until there is no uptick in the number of cases for say, tingnan natin (let’s see in) six months to nine months, and then we can gradually remove face masks,” said Duque.

“Use them na lang (Just use them) in select areas like let’s say mga close settings with poor ventilation, so face masks will be protective, still important,” he added.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said that the mandatory use of face masks would “most likely” be scrapped by the fourth quarter of the year.

READ: Dropping face mask mandate not likely as gov’t eyes shift to ‘new normal’

The Philippines is now back to low-risk status for COVID-19 transmission after facing a surge of cases due to Omicron at the start of 2022, Duque earlier said.

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