Marcos says gov’t might require use of face mask again amid rising COVID-19 cases

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday (US time) said the government might bring back the mandatory use of face masks in the Philippines amid the recent rise in COVID-19 cases.

Marcos said his administration is studying the current trends of COVID-19, particularly looking at the rate of increase of the occurrence and its baseline, among other factors.

“We’ll look at it. Tingnan natin kung may guidance ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force), may guidance and DOH (Department of Health). I hope we don’t have to, but we might. But I hope not,” he said in an interview with reporters en route to Washington.

(We’ll see if the IAFT and the DOH will have guidance.)

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“Ako ang tinitingnan ko is although ‘yung rate of increase lumalaki, ang baseline natin na sinimulan eh maliit lang so hopefully we’re still going to be able to do it,” Marcos added.

(What I’m looking at is although the rate of increase is rising, the baseline of it is only small so hopefully we’re still going to be able to do it.)

The President said the government is also putting into consideration how the summer heat affects the health of the public, making them more vulnerable to COVID-19.

This, he said, may prompt the government to conduct a vaccination drive among the public to boost their immunity against the severe respiratory illness.

“Looks like we will have to conduct again, especially for the young people, a vaccination push para mabawasan na ‘yan, especially with people na nahihirapan na nga eh dahil sa init, humihina ang katawan and that will make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 again,” Marcos said.

(People’s health may decline due to the heat and that will make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 again.)

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