The Department of Health (DOH) is not considering to re-impose the policy of mandatory wearing of face mask amid the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country, its officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Wednesday.
"Dito sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan, we encourage everybody, kahit na noon, na tayo ay piliin natin at tayo po ay alam natin kung kailan tayo mag ma-mask lalong lalo na kung matao [at] ang lugar ay pangit ang bentilasyon," she said during a press briefing.
Vergeire reiterated that the face mask is still voluntary, adding that talks on the return of face mask policy have yet been made.
"Kailangan lamang po talaga na magpatuloy na magpaalala ang Kagawaran ng Kalusugan na alam dapat ng ating kababayan kung kailan dapat sila magsuot ng masks," she said.
Based on the latest data from the health department as of April 17, there is a total of 4.08 million COVID-19 cases in the country, with 9,723 active cases.
At least 4.10 million recovered while 66,441 died due to COVID-19.
The nationwide positivity rate stood at 6.5 percent, according to the monitoring of the OCTA Research team.
