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A health expert on Tuesday said the lifting of outdoor mask mandates is too early because the number of Filipinos who got booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is still very low.

Dr. Jose Rene de Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc, said COVID-19 remains a threat in the country with
2,00-3,000 infections being recorded per day.

The number does not include people who might be infected but do not take antigen or RT-PCR tests despite COVID symptoms.

"Parang napakaaga po kasi ngayon napakarami pa rin nating kaso," he said in a TeleRadyo interview.

(Lifting the mask mandate is too early because we still have a lot of infections.)

"Mag wear ng masks, mas importante po yan, mas malaking protection yan hindi lang sa COVID but other respiratory diseases," he added.

De Grano denied that the Philippines has almost attained a so-called "wall of immunity" against the virus after more than 72 million Filipinos received a 2nd completed dose of the vaccine, according to the Department of Health COVID-19 vaccination dashboard. [DASHBOARD: https://doh.gov.ph/covid19-vaccination-dashboard]

"Hindi pwede nating sabihin na merong wall of immunity dahil malamang po yung una natin na vaccine na napabigay ay wala na po halos epekto," he said, adding that many Filipinos have yet to receive booster doses.

Data from the Department of Health showed that as of September 11, only 18.5 million COVID-19 booster doses have been administered.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has issued an executive order making the use of face masks optional outdoors all over the country, Malacañang said on Monday, some two years after government required masks to curb the spread of COVID-19.

• Marcos allows voluntary face mask use outdoors

"The voluntary wearing of face masks in open spaces and non-crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation, is hereby allowed," reads Marcos' EO No. 3, which takes effect immediately.

It said though that face masks should still be worn in the following places:

• Indoor private or public establishments
• Public transportation
• Outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained

The same order said individuals who are not fully vaccinated, senior citizens, and the immunocompromised are "highly encouraged to wear their masks."

DOH Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire has agreed to lift masking for non-vulnerable sectors and low-risk settings based on the World Health Organization's pronouncement that face mask mandates can be focused on the vulnerable sector.

• DOH agrees to lift face mask mandate in low-risk settings

"Masking will just be optional for those who are non-vulnerable. Hindi po puwede sa senior citizen, hindi po pwede doon sa may sakit, 'di po pwede sa mga bata, sa mga transport sector and dapat hindi po crowded ang lugar saka maayos po ang daloy ng hangin." Vergeire said in response to a question posed by Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman.

So far, more than 62,000 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the Philippines since the start of the pandemic.

De Grano said the effect of the lifting of the mask mandate would be known in 2-3 weeks.

He also sounded the alarm on the lack of nurses in some healthcare facilities since many nursing graduates have opted to work abroad. He urged the government to put the brakes on sending out nurses overseas.

"Hinay hinay sa pagpapalabas ng nurses at baka mag suffer ang healthcare system," he said.