PATH TO NEW NORMAL: City gets rid of face shields, curfew; Province to retain jeepney barriers

By Jennifer P. Rendon and Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo City is gradually scrapping some policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic en route to the “new normal.”

Mayor Jerry Treñas on Thursday, Nov 4, 2021, endorsed the scrapping of the mandatory use of face shields.

Treñas also issued an executive order lifting the curfew and allowing 70 percent passenger capacity in public transport vehicles.

On the use of face shields, Treñas cited that there are studies showing that it is “not proven effective to block cough aerosols as compared to masks.”

Regulation Ordinance No. 2020-061, amended by R.O. No. 2020-095, stated that “the non-wearing of face shields/eye protectors in public places such as malls, churches, markets, offices, banks, public transport vehicles, and stations, stores, commercial establishments, and other areas where there are three or more people are gathered within close proximity of one another is hereby prohibited.”

In asking the Sangguniang Panlungsod to scrap the use of face shields, Treñas cited a study by Lindsey, Blachere, Law, Beezhold and Noti (2020) wherein they confirmed that “face shields are not effective blockers of cough aerosols, being able to block only 2% of cough aerosols as compared to masks such as the N95 and the medical grade masks, which could block 99% and 59% of cough aerosols, respectively.”

Treñas also pointed out that the city has been curbing new cases, on top of its high vaccination rollout rate, which is 254,581 or 75.96 percent of the city’s 478,817 population in 2021.

He added that the Iloilo City COVID-19 team recommended the gradual exclusion of the mandatory use of face shields and/or eye protectors in some public areas, as part of the efforts to prudently ease restrictive protocols and welcome the new normal.

“Battling with this deadly virus and exhausting all efforts to curb surges in our cases, we learn not to allow ourselves to remain in the confines brought by this particularly the discomfort in wearing face shield and/or eye protector,” Treñas said.

For Treñas, the exclusion of wearing face shield in some public places provides a semblance of normalcy.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the endorsement amending the mandatory use of face shields.

Meanwhile, Treñas also issued Executive Order No. 132-A, Series of 2021 lifting the curfew and providing for a maximum passenger capacity in public transport.

The lifting of the curfew takes effect 12 a.m. of Nov 5.

Public utility vehicles such as jeepneys and other motor vehicles offering services to the public within Iloilo can accommodate a maximum passenger capacity of 70 percent, in accordance with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Memorandum Circular No. 2021-064.

While physical barriers are no longer required, passengers are strongly encouraged to maintain adequate social distancing and strict observance of health protocols.

For four straight days, Iloilo City has only posted single-digit COVID infections. In the past week, it also registered less than 20 infections daily.

BARRIERS STAY IN ILOILO

Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Thursday nixed the idea of removing plastic barriers in jeepneys, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over and crowding remains a high-risk activity.

Several areas in the country allowed jeepney drivers and operators to remove the plastic barriers between passengers to increase capacity, including in Iloilo City, where capacity is still limited to 70 percent.

But in his regular press conference, Defensor said that he would rather keep the plastic barriers for the meantime while the province is under Alert Level 2.

Section 5(2)(d) of Executive Order No. 646 mandates plastic barriers in jeepneys between passengers as a social distancing measure.

Defensor deemed jeepneys to be a “3C” (closed, crowded, close-contact) setting, which is still high risk for COVID-19.

“We are not yet prepared to see people without any distance from each other, with at least a face mask. If what they are saying is true that COVID can go through our eyes, a face shield can most definitely help. A face shield is useful in some places, and jeepneys are one of them,” the governor said.

He said that he may be open to removing the barriers, but only when there is guidance from the national government.