3 reasons I’m attached to my face mask

Mask wearing is now voluntary outdoors. (Photo: Nonie Reyes via Business Mirror)

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order (EO) No. 3, making mask wearing outdoors voluntary or optional. This week, I’m writing about three personal reasons why I’m keeping my mask on. 

To preface, being outdoors greatly reduces your risk of catching the virus. But “less risk” doesn’t mean “zero risk.” Combined with how unpredictable recent variants and human behavior can get in general, there’s good reason to believe the Philippines is not ready to drop masks.

Here are some expert-backed takes on why I’m not going to follow the president’s advice just yet:

1. “Face masks should be the last to go” in terms of pandemic health protocols

In an interview last week, infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante said lifting masks is not for everyone. He cited five groups who should continue wearing masks outdoors: children under 12 who are mostly unvaccinated, elderly people aged 50 and up, immunocompromised people, those with comorbidities, and those who are still not vaccinated. He emphasized the need to “be specific” in reminding these groups that they need to keep masking, even while outdoors.

I’m not a part of any of these groups, but it’s not hard to keep my KF94 on just so I don’t accidentally infect a frail grandmother or someone undergoing chemo, whether it's with COVID-19 or the common cold.

2. People could get lax about following other COVID protocols

Dr. Maricar Limpin, past president of the Philippine College of Physicians, fears relaxing mask requirements “basically gives the impression to a lot of Filipinos” that they don’t need to get vaccinated for, let alone be afraid of, COVID.

Solante also voiced what’s always been at the back of our minds as Filipino citizens: Implementation is going to be challenging. In a country that is ready to slash hundreds of millions from the health department’s budget amidst the pandemic, implementation is going to be extra challenging. 

“Constant communication and specific messaging will really be important when we implement this policy,” Solante said. 

As of writing, the page where EO No. 3 is uploaded has yet to state specific guidelines. The PDF for the EO is also temporarily unavailable. This means people will have to rely on official announcements, wherever they may hear or read about them, to know exactly when and where they could go mask-free.

Marcos Jr. said “well-ventilated and not crowded” places can enjoy mask-free privilege, but even these guidelines are arbitrary too. What about public transportation and markets? The last time I rode a jeepney, it was open air—but there were also 19 other passengers on it with me. At a less hectic hour, less than five people would be riding it. What happens if we forego our masks on both occasions?

3. We’re comparing ourselves to other countries

Before Monday, the Philippines and Myanmar were the only countries in Southeast Asia that still required masks outside. Meanwhile several countries, especially in Europe and the United States, have already relaxed mask mandates. Solante said this was an unfair comparison.

Though it’s still recommended in some indoor places like hospitals, other countries could live with looser restrictions because most of their populations have already been vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. In the Philippines, over 72 million individuals have been fully vaccinated against COVID. However, only 18.2 million have been boosted even as doses worth billions of pesos continue to expire. 

Notably, a day after EO No. 3 was issued, Marcos extended the state of calamity set by former President Rodrigo Duterte over two years ago to “allow emergency purchases and provide hazard allowances for health care workers.”

Officials claim doing away with masks would boost the economy, but global studies show the opposite. 

Besides, several inequities remain in the local healthcare system. Over the pandemic, gaps in vaccination rates, hospitalizations, and the number of deaths across different parts of the Philippines have yet to be addressed. With no health secretary in place yet, Solante was right to say removing masks should be the last thing on the government’s pandemic checklist at the moment.