AFTER almost two years of mandatory use, the face shield will now be used voluntarily in Cebu Province starting Saturday, November 20, 2021, after Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued a memorandum on this.
The memorandum, signed on Friday, Nov. 19, was in line with a recent policy issued by the Inter- Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Nov. 15.
But while the wearing of face shields is voluntary, business owners were given the discretion to require their clients and employees to wear face shields while inside their establishments.
“With regard to the voluntary use of face shields for areas under Alert Levels 3 to 1, it is hereby clarified that the same is without prejudice to employers still requiring their use for their employees/workers and/or customers in their respective premises,” as stated in the IATF’s new policy.
With Garcia’s new memo, her Executive Order 43 issued on November 5, 2021 that required the use of the face shield when in the 3Cs settings or closed areas, crowded areas and closed-contact conversations, will no longer take effect.
Cebu Province is currently under Alert Level 2, which the IATF describes as a more relaxed quarantine level. The strictest level is Alert Level 5. (ANV / JKV)