By Robina Asido

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) on the use of face shields.

“My decision is, okay, remove the shield,'' said Duterte in Monday's Talk to the People. ''You dispense with the shield but not the mask.''

''The mask will forever remain and it will be a part of our day-to-day,'' he added.

Duterte said places under Alert Level 5 and with a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, such as hospitals, will still require mandatory use of face shield.

A memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Monday noted that the AITF Resolution No. 148-0 (s. 2021) issued on 11 November 2021 was approved by Duterte and "shall be implemented effective immediately."

Based on the IATF protocols, the use of face shields in community settings shall be mandatory in areas under Alert Level 5 and granular lockdowns.

"For areas under Alert Level 4, local government units (LGus) and private establishments are given discretion to mandate the use of face shields: and for areas under Alert Levels 3, 2 and 1, the use of face shields shall be voluntary," it stated.

"Prior to the full nationwide implementation of the Alert Level System pursuant to Executive Order No. 151 ( 2021), LGUs shall have the discretion to mandate the use of face shields in areas covered by the Omnibus Guidelines on the implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, as amended, except in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine and those under granular lockdown where it shall remain mandatory," it added.

The memorandum also noted that the IATF protocols are "without prejudice to the continuing mandatory use of face shields in medical and quarantine facility settings, and the required use thereof by healthcare workers in healthcare settings." DMS