'Protection vs COVID, pollution': MMDA urges public to continue wearing masks outdoors
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority encouraged the public to continue wearing masks outdoors, noting that face coverings not only protect people from the virus that causes COVID-19 but also from pollution.
“The MMDA strongly enjoins the public, particularly those who are not fully-vaccinated, immunocompromised, and the senior citizens to continue wearing face masks whether indoor or outdoor for it helps minimize our risk from getting infected with the virus and stop its further transmission,” the agency said Wednesday.
The reminder came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lifted the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors, except in areas where people cannot observe social distancing. People are still required to wear masks in indoor establishments and public transportation.
MMDA also said it has released a memorandum urging employees, especially field personnel, to wear masks even outdoors, for their own protection.
Experts said that masks protect people from both air pollution and airborne infections. Exposure to high levels of air pollution increases the risk of respiratory infections, health disease, and lung cancer, according to the World Health Organization.
Helpful
Even after the issuance of the executive order on voluntary masking, the Department of Health maintained that mask wearing should “always be our default.”
Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, an infectious disease specialist, said Wednesday that mask wearing continues to be helpful.
“Why do we need to wear masks? Because we want to benefit from the additional protection that has been proven through many studies,” she said in a forum.
Ong-Lim stressed the public should assess the level of transmission in the community, vaccination rates, and individual or household risk factors.
“The fact that many of us are not yet boosted means transmission can still occur and it is probably one of the reasons why we have so much transmission going on. Unfortunately, our booster rates are not as high as we want it to be,” she said.
Only 18.5 million people have gotten booster doses. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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