THE Department of Health (DOH) stated on Tuesday that it is not yet necessary to mandate the use of face masks nationwide, even with the ongoing flu season.
DOH Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo made the statement in response to a question about whether the DOH would follow Quezon province’s lead in mandating face mask use due to a rise in influenza-like illnesses.
Domingo explained that the DOH considers factors such as severe hospitalization rates and the congestion of intensive care units (ICUs) when considering a face mask mandate. “Not yet. What we look at when we’re thinking of a mandate is the increase of severe hospitalization. We also see if the ICUs are congested, and we haven’t seen anything like that,” Domingo said in an interview.
He also noted the challenges of enforcing a face mask mandate, including the difficulty of determining penalties and the possibility that some individuals might wear masks incorrectly simply to comply with the order.
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