Masks not yet mandatory in Metro Manila – Zamora Jose Rodel Clapano - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The wearing of face masks is not yet mandatory in Metro Manila, San Juan Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman Francis Zamora said yesterday. The metropolis remains at low risk despite a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, he said. Zamora noted that the Department of Health (DOH) presented data on COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila during the MMC’s recent meeting. “But because we are in the low-risk category, there are no changes right now when it comes to wearing face masks,” he said. Zamora said that DOH data showed that the hospitalization rate for COVID cases in Metro Manila remains at 29 percent, which puts the metropolis within the low-risk category. The same DOH data also showed that the positivity rate in Metro Manila is 25 percent, which means one out of four people tested for COVID-19 turned out to be positive, but most of these are mild cases. “Vaccination is key,” Zamora said, as he urged people to get their COVID vaccines and booster shots. Local government units can reimpose the face mask mandate in their locality by issuing an ordinance or executive order, according to Zamora. “We will monitor the situation and we are hoping that cases will not rise,” he said.

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