Guidelines on face shields out soon

TUTORIAL A police officer shows a commuter how to properly wear a face shield on a bus along Edsa. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The government will issue guidelines on the proper wearing of face shields in public places, which has been made mandatory along with masks.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has directed the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and other national government agencies to issue a consolidated advisory to the public on the proper use of face shields when leaving their residences.

The advisory would include exclusions or exemptions, as may be appropriate, according to the IATF’s latest resolution.

The task force recently required the public to wear face shields whenever they are outside their residence.

Previously, they were only required to wear it when entering commercial establishments and using public transportation.

The face shield requirement was meant to reduce the risk of transmission of the new coronavirus, amid fears of a surge in cases during the holidays.

Meanwhile, the IATF has directed the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) to stop the reopening of locker rooms for golfers and other expansion of permissible accessory activities in golf clubs.

The IATF said golf clubs should cease and desist from these activities pending the review and approval of health protocols by the appropriate government agencies.

It also directed the NGAP to transmit its proposed protocol for golf to the DOH and DOLE for vetting.

The IATF has allowed golf and other noncontact sports in areas under general community quarantine, subject to minimum public health standards.