Charles Teves
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday confirmed that health experts are considering using goggles for further protection against the coronavirus.
She said wearing goggles with face shields is being discussed seriously by the DOH and various experts.
“Iyan talaga ang direction ng paguusap. Primarily kaya natin minandate na ang face shields ay gamitin natin for us to protect our eyes because there are evidence to state na ang COVID-19 can also penetrate ang eyes natin at pwede tayo maimpeksyon,” she said in a media briefing, explaining that goggles offer the eyes protection from droplets and aerosols.
“Pinaguusapan lahat ito, the possibility of these goggles and the others, nandyan po iyan,” she added.
The Inter-Agency Task Force expects the DOH to submit its latest recommendation on using face shields on Thursday.
Netizens think that this is another scheme by the government to make money off the people.
swimming na pala pic.twitter.com/wzUDM70Rgq
— Malacañang Events and Catering Services (@MalacananEvents) November 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/martianchris/status/1457665394479489026?s=20
No other country is discussing the use of goggles, much less mandating the use of face shields.
Are you stuck in 2020??? https://t.co/9vga323ar7
— Raquel Fortun (@Doc4Dead) November 9, 2021
Nako Pilipinas, magsara na lang kayo
— Cₐᵢ 💜⁷ (@caiskee) November 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/Docalfred/status/1457662229956816904?s=20
Mas mahal ang price ng goggles kesa faceshield. Maawa naman kayo sa mga Pilipino. Wala na nga makain eto pa hahati sa kakarampot na sahod ng tao. pic.twitter.com/FTKxgdJMkA
— ~ ほろ ねこ ~🇵🇭 (@MissElaPo) November 8, 2021
CORRECTION: You’re MUCH LESS LIKELY to get COVID through your eyes.
— Jonathan E. Sy (@easy_jonathan) November 8, 2021
Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno dared Malacañang to bring the city’s order of dropping the face shield mandate to court.
“Yes, we will [still implement the order], because, under existing laws, we are empowered to protect the interest of our people,” Moreno said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
“If they’re not happy, they can go to court and ask for declaratory relief, I don’t want to teach them what to do,” he added.
Executive Order (EO) No. 42 declares the use of face shields as “non-mandatory” except in hospital settings and medical facilities.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque previously said that the order was “null and void” and that local leaders should respect President Rodrigo Duterte’s decisions.
“Hindi pupuwede kasing nagkakaniya-kaniya sa panahon ng pandemya. Siguro po, kung hindi batas ang pinag-uusapan, respeto na lang po sa ating Presidente dahil lahat naman po ng desisyon ng IATF ay desisyon ng Presidente,” he said.
