Aside from being premature—with no cases yet found in the Philippines of the Omicron variant—the mandatory use of face shield is overreaction and exaggeration.
THOSE face shields, which only the Philippines used during the pandemic, should not be returned even with an Omicron threat.
Thus suggested Deputy Speaker Rep. Bernadette Herrera, of Bagong Henerasyon partylist, who voiced her objection to the suggestion to return the mandatory use of face shields because of the Omicron variant.
“The key targeted action that would directly address the Omicron threat right now and in the very near future are strict border controls, the inclusion of airports, hotels, and tourist transport vehicles as high-risk closed spaces,” Herrera said.
“Mandatory face shield use would be an overreaction and exaggeration at this point or in the near future because there is no confirmed local transmission of the Omicron and there is no confirmed entry of any Omicron variant infected person,” she emphasized.
“At kung sa kasamaang-palad, huwag naman sana, na ang Omicron variant aydumating sa ating kapuluan, hindi pa rin dapat ibalik ang sapilitang pagpapasuot ng face shield sa mga mall at iba pang pampublikong lugar sapagkat hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin namang matibay na siyentipikong pruweba na significant ang proteksiyong naidudulot ng pagsusuot ng face shield.
Dagdag inconvenience at gastos lamang ang hatid ng face shield sa ating mga mamamayan. Tama nang sa loob ng mga ospital na lamang ito isuot.”
The Department of Health and other health authorities have not issued Omicron-specific clinical, diagnostic, and other medical guidance to hospitals and health care frontliners.
The suggestion to reimpose mandatory use of face shields might be another example of premature elation on unnecessarily making daily life harder for Filipinos.
Tags: #notofaceshields, #overreaction, #Omicron, #COVID19