Written by Erwin Keith Foronda Visuals by Reinehard Aytona
Whether to abolish or retain the mandatory usage of a face shield is still currently being debated, yet the government still continues to mandate Filipinos to wear face shields, even though its purpose and assurance regarding higher COVID-19 protection has been questioned too many times now.
For almost two years under a pandemic, the policy to use face shields had been required only to certain places such as malls and restaurants. However, due to the rapid surge of COVID-19 cases, the government has mandated face shields on both indoor and outdoor settings to serve as additional protection for people. In an official statement of Malacañang, President Rodrigo Duterte said that face shields must be worn, whether outdoors or indoors, by everyone, and that this decision depends on the recommendation of medical experts. Perhaps, the government believes that requiring the use of face shields can reduce the continuous rise of COVID-19 cases. Furthermore, OCTA research group supports the decision of the government to retain the use of face shields. Dr. Guido David, an OCTA research fellow, said that they trust the study made by medical experts who made recommendations to President Rodrigo Duterte on the use of face shields.
Be that as it may, it’s been a year since the government implemented the face shield policy. Despite the usage of face shields, cases still continue to rise. With 2.72 million cases of COVID-19 infection, 40,675 deaths have been recorded in the Philippines as of October 2021. This record means that wearing a face shield has no significance and purpose.
It is ironic when Dr. David said that medical experts recommended face shield use to the President when even the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation does not approve of the policy. According to the WHO, face shields are designed to protect from splashes of biological fluids. Thus, medical workers are the only ones required to use a face shield to add as one of their Personal Protective Equipment in treating COVID-19 patients. WHO also added that current laboratory testing standards only assess face shields for their ability to provide eye protection from chemical splashes in contrast with the fact that COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets and airborne particles of the virus.
Meanwhile, the engineering perspective concluded that face shield usage is redundant and not helpful. It can and may even increase the risk of exposure to the disease, according to Engr. Joshua Agar, a wind engineer and assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD). According to his research, the use of face shields places a person's face in the region where airborne particles are said to accumulate. The airborne particles will remain in an area with low flow energy which is inside the face shield. He also added that airflow should not be constricted, so we need proper vertical ventilation. Through this way, the airflow should be upwards and not sideways so that the airborne particles will not transport horizontally. This is why although the transmission of the virus can be avoided, smaller droplets can stay around the face shield, proving that wearing face shields isn't helping in battling the pandemic, but gives more risk to the public’s health.
Moreover, the Philippines is one of the few countries that requires its citizens to wear face shields on top of face masks, whereas most countries only use face masks. Odd it may seem for a third-world country since the use of face shields necessitates people to spend money on it, which costs between PHP 27.72 to PHP 120 per piece. The senate also questioned the Department of Health (DOH) purchase of overpriced face shields. While the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) failed to sell PHP 95.46 million worth of surgical masks and face shields to various agencies. As such, Filipinos will pay for these overpriced face shields through their mandatory use as these government agencies try to distribute them in the market.
It is also confusing as to why the funds used to purchase these PPEs were so high and expensive compared to the Philippine Red Cross, who could buy PPEs such as face shields for as little as PHP 5 and PHP 15 each. As suspicions grow, we find it difficult to believe that these actions are unrelated to corruption; however, we can deduce that it is what is reflected from the bad choices made by both DOH and DBM.
In this time of distress, when a nation experiences health and economical problems, it is unfortunate that there are still people in power that take advantage of the situation. Instead of helping the nation to heal, some choose to make more profit out of this vulnerability.
Whether you wear a face shield or not, there is no guarantee that you are safe. Yes, it might help, but it cannot give assurance to your health safety. Currently, our cases of COVID-19 are getting better, we have been using universal masking, following social distancing, and vaccination are in process but it took so long that it cotsted so many lives and economic loss. Amid all the high and lows of the curve, it can be concluded that requiring the use of face shields serves no point and purpose, and does not have any significance to any part of the curve.
After more than a year of using the obsolete and redundant face shields, our government should re-review this policy and adjust to the current situation so that we can all go outside hassle-free and heal as one nation without making a gamble with many people's lives for the sake of profit. After all, a public-serving government is what we all deserve.
