MANILA — The optional wearing of face masks in outdoor areas is not expected to “overburden” the country’s healthcare system, an infectious disease expert said on Tuesday.

While COVID-19 cases could increase every time public health standards are relaxed, hospitals in the Philippines are not expected to be swamped with patients anytime soon, said Dr. Edsel Salvana, who is also a member of the Department of Health's technical advisory group.

“Nakita na rin natin in the past few months na dahil sa taas na rin ng pagbabakuna natin, kahit dumadami yung may COVID… ‘yung number of severe cases is low at hindi naman napupuno yung ating health system,” Salvana said in a televised public briefing.

“Kung tumaas man yung severe cases, hindi naman makaka-overburden sa ating healthcare system,” he said.

(We saw in the past few months that because of our vaccination rate, even though COVID infections increased, the number of severe cases is low and our health system was not filled. Even if severe cases increase, these will not overburden our healthcare system.)

• Marcos allows voluntary face mask use outdoors

The Philippines recorded 15,379 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, the DOH said on Monday.

As of Sunday, 727 or 9.6 percent of COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the DOH said. Some 594 or 23.9 percent of 2,485 intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied. Meanwhile, the non-ICU bed utilization rate was at 28.2 percent, it added.

At least 72.7 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, of whom 18.6 million have received their booster shots, according to data from the DOH.

Salvana said the government must work to administer more booster doses to the elderly and people with comorbidities.

“Ang nakikita natin na bumababa yung wall of immunity ay sa mga elder na hindi pa nagpapa-booster,” he said.

(We see that the wall of immunity goes down among the elderly who have yet to get boosters.)

• Wall of immunity? Only 18M COVID booster shots administered - health expert

Salvana did not recommend easing the face mask policy indoors, given that it would take about 2 to 4 weeks to see the effect of the new outdoor mask rule on the Philippines’ COVID-19 situation.

“Kung bubuksan natin pati sa indoor, alam natin na that is removing one more layer of protection,” he said. “Tingnan muna natin kung ano yung magiging epekto ng pagtanggal sa outdoor spaces.”

(If we ease the rule even for indoor settings, we know that is removing one more layer of protection. Let us first see the effect of removing it in outdoor spaces.)

“We are trying to do this in a careful, calibrated, scientific matter… then we can talk about further loosening, kung makikita natin na manageable naman (once we see that it's manageable),” he added.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Courtesy of PTV