DOH: Off to see the Pope? Bring food, towel, raincoat

Joining the mammoth crowds to get a glimpse of Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines this week? Bring the essentials, including candies and chocolates, paper cups, a towel, hand sanitizers and raincoats.

To ensure the safety of the hundreds of thousands of faithful who will be flocking to the places to be visited by the pontiff, the Department of Health (DOH) has encouraged the public to observe safety precautions and offered several tips.

A mammoth crowd is expected to descend on the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park on Jan. 18 for the Holy Mass to be officiated by Pope Francis at 3:30 p.m. The event is the culmination of his five-day apostolic visit to the Philippines.

Organizers are expecting some 1.2 million people to gather at the park but the number could swell to five million as hours before the Holy Mass, Pope Francis will attend a youth rally at the University of Santo Tomas where a big crowd is also expected to assemble.

The health agency said the public should bring with them candies or chocolates which they may eat to avert dizzy spells. Should they bring food, it must be something that does not go stale easily. It should also be placed in a clear plastic container for security purposes, the DOH said.

A face towel will not only come in handy to wipe away sweat but can also be used to cover wounds in case of injuries, it added. The DOH also advised the public to bring wet wipes and hand sanitizers for hygienic purposes.

Aside from wearing comfortable clothes, the health agency also reminded the faithful who would be muscling their way through the crowd to bring fans and raincoats to protect themselves from the sun or rain.

Organizers had earlier discouraged people from bringing umbrellas so as not to obstruct the view of others. The public has also advised against bringing backpacks or bags to the venue for security reasons.

At the same time, acting Health Secretary Janette Garin encouraged the public to bring identification cards or a piece of paper containing their name and a contact person who authorities could reach in case of emergency.

She also suggested doing the same for children who would be tagging along with their parents in case they get lost.

“Please also know where the medical stations are located so that you will know where to go if an emergency arises,” Garin said.

At a press briefing last week, the health agency said it was setting up health stations in all the venues of the papal events. At the Quirino Grandstand, it will be fielding 100 responders trained in basic first aid, advanced cardiac life support and incident command system.

Garin also advised those with chronic illnesses to bring with them their medicines. “If you are hypertensive or diabetic, make sure you have your maintenance medicines with you [when you go to these events],” she said.

In a separate advisory, the DOH discouraged pregnant women, especially those on their ninth month of pregnancy and those experiencing premature contractions, to just stay at home. “A baby born outside the hospital is prone to infection,” it warned.

The health department also called on the public to dispose of their garbage properly, stressing that litter may lead to serious accidents.