Manila, Philippines – Department of Health OIC Maria Rosario Vergeire said Thursday that the daily average of Covid-19 cases nationwide may reach 18,000 in the next two months should the public decide to ditch the wearing of face masks.
In a radio interview, Vergeire said she presented a possible scenario of increased daily infections during an Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) meeting last week.
“Sinasabi sa projections na towards November and December of this year, kung magtatanggal tayo ng masks, maaaring tumaas ang kaso natin (Projections showed that towards the end of November and December of this year, if we discontinue wearing of masks, our cases be in the range) from 2,500 at the lower limit, to as high as 18,000,” she said.
In a television interview, Vergeire, confirmed that the wearing of face masks is voluntary “across all settings” nationwide.
“Based on the agreement, the IATF resolution, and based on what has been proposed to the President, it’s going to be voluntary nationwide,” she adds.
Mentioning that the term “voluntary” boils down to “individual informed decisions”, Vergeire said every person has to “know the risks and be able to decide whether one can afford not to wear a face mask in certain situations.”
“In depth, there’s this agreement with the IATF, where we have a unified messaging that we still encourage the wearing of masks, especially in high risk areas katulad po ng public transport, katulad po ng healthcare facilities at katulad po ‘yung mga vulnerable natin, mga matanda, buntis, hindi bakunado, kailangan alam nila ‘yung risk nila (like public transport, healthcare facilities, and the vulnerable like the elderly, pregnant and unvaccinated) they still need to, we still highly encourage that they wear their masks,” she said.
Asked whether face mask use in public transportation is mandatory, Vergeire said they are still awaiting for the president to issue an executive order.
“We are still proposing that it would be mandatory. Whether it be voluntary or mandated, I hope that our citizens would always decide for the best for them and for their families. Let us wear a mask when in public transportation and crowded places,” she added.
Earlier on Wednesday, infectious diseases expert Dr. Rontgene Solante warned the public about a possible rise in Covid-19 infections following the detection of the Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant in the country.
Dr. Tony Leachon, ex-adviser to the IATF, said he is not in favor of removing mask mandates in indoor spaces saying its too early as too many infectious variants and subvariants of COVID-19 that has entered the country.
“What I think now is that we’re not ready. It may be premature. So I was thinking we should let two weeks pass after XBB and XCC (subvariants) have arrived. We let the Undas effect pass and maybe that’s the time we should put those agressive measures,” he said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.
“We’re aware that the virus is airborne and if it’s airborne especially in enclosed places where the ventilation is not good, then viral transmission is higher,” Leachon adds.
The DOH reported as of Oct. 26, the country logged 1,121 new Covid-19 infections which brought the overall tally to 3,997,941 with 21,325 active cases.