Wearing of face shield required in workplace under MECQ

Department of Trade and Industry announced the President Rodrigo Duterte approved its new protocols in the workplace under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ), including wearing of the face shield.

Presidential and Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Spokesperson Harry Roque said dining in company canteens and common smoking areas are now prohibited.

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“Bawal ang common smoking areas. Pinapayagan lang po ang individual smoking areas or booths in open spaces,” he added.

(Common smoking areas are prohibited. Only individual smoking areas or booths in open space are allowed.)

Roque added physical distancing and wearing face masks, and face shields should always be maintained in the office, especially if employees are inside a common room.

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Frequent handwashing, frequent disinfection, and temperature checks of workers and visitors must be observed as well.

The company should provide a shuttle service for its employees who commute.

The Palace official noted that employees must also train on how to implement the new health protocol standards in the workplace under MECQ.

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Roque added the Department of Labor and Employment, DTI, and local government units would visit and inspect the company’s compliance with the health standards.

Also read: Airline passengers also required to wear face shields

Wearing of face shield required in workplace under MECQ

Authorities released the latest health protocols after the government found out that smoking areas and canteens in workplaces have become COVID-19 transmission hotspots.

Roque, meanwhile, said it would be “highly unlikely” that President Rodrigo Duterte would extend MECQ in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to economic and budgetary reasons.

Duterte earlier said he could no longer give food and money for financial assistance to the poor in MECQ areas.

“Problem is wala na tayong pera. I cannot give food anymore and money to people,” Duterte added.

(The problem is we don’t have money anymore. I cannot give food anymore and money to people.)

Roque also reiterated that the main reason for bringing back MECQ was to give health frontliners a breather amid the COVID-19 surge and to strengthen the government’s response to the pandemic.

Before the reimposition of MECQ, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said the worst is over for the Philippines and now, though fragile, is on its way to economic recovery.