Use of face shields now mandatory in commercial establishments

Malacañang on July 31 announced that there was a plan to order the mandatory use of face shields nationwide. (File photo: engin akyurt/Unsplash)

MANILA – Wearing face shields, apart from face masks, is now required for people who wish to go to commercial establishments like shopping malls, Malacañang said on Friday.

This developed after the National Task Force (NTF) against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) decided to make the use of face shields mandatory not just in public transportation and in the workplace but also in enclosed spaces, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Dapat sinusuot na rin ang face shields sa mga nakasaradong commercial establishments gaya ng mga malls (Face shields should also be worn in enclosed commercial establishments like malls),” Roque said in an interview with state-run PTV-4.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier mandated all passengers to wear face shields and face masks as protection against Covid-19.

The DOTr’s directive applies to all public transportation nationwide, including the aviation and airports, railways, road, and maritime sectors.

Apart from the DOTr, the Department of Labor and Employment also required the use of face shields in workplaces.

The initiative aims to reduce the further transmission of Covid-19 in the country.

Covid-19 infections in the country have risen to 178,022, as of Thursday.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has encouraged the public to use face shields to complement the wearing of face masks in low ventilation settings to lessen their chance of contracting the virus.

Malacañang on July 31 announced that there was a plan to order the mandatory use of face shields nationwide.

However, the government has yet to issue an official order compelling the public to wear face shields whenever they leave their homes.