Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reiterated that the mandatory use of face masks will not be reimposed, but it may recommend doing so if the country’s COVID-19 situation becomes critical.
“DOH is closely monitoring and once we see that it is critical already and then we recommend to the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) and the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force),” DOH officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
COVID-19 cases in the country are rising. Based on the DOH’s latest data, there were 4,456 new infections from April 24 to 30, averaging 637 cases daily. This is 42% higher than the previous week.
Vergeire on Tuesday said that daily COVID-19 cases in the country may continue to be around 600 until June, which can be due to several factors.
Some of the factors driving the cases up are increased mobility, presence of different Omicron subvariants, and the vulnerability of every individual.
Meanwhile, the independent OCTA Research on Tuesday disclosed that Metro Manila’s positivity rate – the percentage of people who test positive for the virus of those overall who have been tested -– increased to 18.8% on May 1 from 11.7% on April 24.
Vergeire said the country’s health system is still able to handle the number of COVID-19 patients. The public also does not need to worry since most of the cases are mild, she added.
Utilization of intensive care units is also less than 20%, she noted. There are some areas reporting higher rates than this percentage, but this is because their facilities are smaller, she pointed out.
While the DOH still encourages the public to wear face masks, Vergeire reiterated that its mandatory use will not be reimposed. She said this move aims to instill to the public the behavior of assessing their risks.
