“I DO not know whether that is true or not (shortage of face masks in the country), but assuming that to be true then, the manufacturer of these (masks) should produce more.”
This was stressed by Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who was in Bacolod City on Saturday for the 15th Bacolaodiat Festival.
“In fact, they don’t even have to be requested or told upon to do it, it’s their business so they should (produce). But, right now I understand from the doctors that it’s not necessary for us to wear mask only with respect to the hospital personnel as well if you’re going to the crowded place so that’s the time to wear (mask). We’re too panicking,” Panelo said.
He said President Rodrigo Duterte already issued an order banning all persons coming from China’s Hubei province, where Wuhan, epicenter of the novel coronavirus is located.
“We’re limiting right now, presently, the ban on the Hubei provinces, but the moment we receive official communication, there are other places in China where this virus has not been stopped, then we will have to expand the ban,” he added.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier confirmed the second coronavirus acute respiratory disease case, the first death in the country and outside China.
“We raise serious concern, and we cannot blame our countrymen for being apprehensive, but let us remember what the World Health Organization (WHO) said about this virus that out of those who get sick only two percent died. In other words, it’s not that dreadful and let’s also hear the advice of the Department of Health secretary that the best way not to be subjected to these risks inflicted by this virus is personal hygiene, always wash your hands, avoid crowded places and wear your mask,” Panelo said.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia also said that they will distribute free face masks to various areas in Bacolod.
He said they already purchased about 75,000 face masks and they will coordinate with the City Health Office to identity the priority areas.
Last week, most of the pharmacies in Bacolod City have run out of face mask stocks after a Chinese national has tested positive for novel coronavirus.
Leonardia earlier issued Executive Order (EO) No. 2-A Series of 2020 creating the Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
The task force is led by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran as chairperson with its vice-chairpersons Councilor Cindy Rojas and City Health Officer Ma. Carmela Gensoli.
The members are Councilors Dindo Ramos, Lady Gles Gonzales; Bacolod City Police Office director Colonel Henry Binas; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Bacolod director Joy Maredith Madayag; Bureau of Quarantine Provincial Head Dr. Sebastian Tabuga; DOH- Western Visayas Ben Arnel Dela Cruz; Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital director Dr. Julius Drilon; Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Director Rachel Nufable.
Other members also include Schools Division Superintendent officer-in-charge Gladys Amelaine Sales; Bureau of Quarantine Alien Control Officer Mita Chuvy Arguelles; Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Engr. Percy Malonesio; Philippine Ports Authority acting manager Loven Serran; Philippine Coast Guard-Bacolod head Jansen Benjamin; Land Transportation Office- Bacolod head Renato Novero; Emerging and re-emerging disease program coordinator-CHO Dr. Grace Tan; Executive Assistants Joemarie Vargas, Butch Soliguen; City Tourism Office officer-in-charge Sandra Sycip; Public Information Officer Danny Dangcalan; and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental president Roberto Magalona.
Familiaran said he will meet with the members of the task force today, February 3, to tackle all the concerns on how to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV.