Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque is being criticized after weighing the protection offered by face masks and face shields to that of getting vaccinated.
In a briefing this Thursday (June 3), Roque responded to the suggestion of Manila City Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Moreno Domagoso urging the national government to lift the order requiring the public to wear face masks and face shields, lessening the expenses and problems of the citizens.
Roque dismissed this idea by citing health expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña’s advice that wearing a face shield helps protect the wearer from COVID-19.
“Statistically, kapag ikaw po ay nag-face mask, face shield, at distancing, halos equivalent po ang proteksyon niyan sa bakuna.
“So sakin, sa siyensya, may basehan. Sa gastos, bagamat nagastusan ang ating mga kababayan eh halos lahat naman ay meron ng face shield so wala ng extrang gastos,” explained Roque.
“It is a scientific fact that the wearing of both masks and face shields contribute substantially to the reduction of Covid-19 cases. Right now, parang walang kinakailangang compromise dahil it is a scientific fact na nakakatulong ang face shield,” he added.
However, over Twitter, Netizens clamor that the spokesperson should present evidence since he stressed that it is scientifically proven.
https://twitter.com/CAFilipinos/status/1400414153253085184
Others expressed their concern as this statement from Roque, promoting misinformation, may send the wrong message to the public.
https://twitter.com/paullim0314/status/1400382162415677444
no!!!!!!! this is outright disinformation. we can only assume that PPEs and social distancing could lessen the risk of acquiring the virus, but it will never equate to the protection a vaccine has https://t.co/71DQnaX65N
— lele (@_nclxv) June 3, 2021
Even an analyst, such as Peter Cayton, recommended that Roque should refrain from associating statistics without having a basis for his claim.
Please don't associate statistics with your bullshizzzz. https://t.co/CCQY1u0HZl
— Peter Cayton, the Stats Guy (@PJACaytonPhD) June 3, 2021
Moreover, this claim from Roque is thoughtless given that most of the public has improperly worn such Covid-19 protective gears.
That is why Mick Basa, a reporter, suggested that the spokesperson experience the daily lives of citizens and see how they wear their face masks and face shields.
https://twitter.com/MickBasa/status/1400323604844220418
Celebrities also joined in as Agot Isidro and Paolo Pangilinan criticized Roque.
Isidro was confused by the government’s plan to boost the vaccination efforts in the country and yet Roque was spewing statements that would negatively impact the vaccine confidence of the public.
https://twitter.com/agot_isidro/status/1400356566591696899?s=20
Pangilinan, on the other hand, stressed that the spokesperson used “falsehood fallacies and f*ckery” just to explain that the government does need to lift the face shield policy.
Falsehoods fallacies and fuckery https://t.co/JrnF009CKG
— Paolo Pangilinan (@PaoPangs) June 3, 2021
Coming from a health expert, Dr. Tony Leachon pointed that face masks and shields, along with physical distancing do not equate to getting immunized from the coronavirus. He said that these protective gears only reduce the viral transmission. Vaccination is the best option to combat Covid-19 as the public will be immune from the lethal virus.
Facial masks , shields , physical distancing when used in combination will reduce viral transmission. There’s no substitute for vaccination. Vaccination leads to herd immunity ; herd immunity leads to economic recovery in the future ! https://t.co/u7xs3ibrOn
— Tony Leachon MD (@DrTonyLeachon) June 3, 2021
The National Institute for Health (NIH) even conducted a study about these wearables. Based on the research, NIH concluded that face masks paired with face shields did offer the best protection against Covid-19. However, the protection that these two offer is only similar to that of wearing a surgical mask.
Roque, in the meantime, said that Moreno’s recommendation will be evaluated by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
