Manila City lifts face shield requirement except in hospitalsFILE PHOTO: People wearing face masks and face shields. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / Niño Jesus Orbeta

 

MANILA, Philippines — Face shields are no longer mandatory in Manila City except in hospitals, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced Monday.

“Mananatiling mandatory pa rin ang paggamit ng face shield sa ating mga ospital. Effective po ito ngayong araw,” Moreno told reporters.

(It will remain mandatory in hospitals, effective today.)

Moreno issued Executive Order (EO) No. 42, “an order declaring the use of face shields as non-mandatory” in the nation’s capital city except in hospital settings and medical clinics, among other medical facilities.

Last week, Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and presidential spokesperson Harry Roque disclosed the pandemic task force is mulling the removal of face shield use policy as COVID-19 cases continue to decline.

Moreno has earlier criticized the use of face shields, saying it is an additional financial burden for Filipinos yet it does not provide people full protection against COVID-19 citing scientific studies abroad.