BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang yesterday said that they are ready abide with any guidance from the national government to make wearing of face mask voluntary indoors.
Tumimbang, however, said it will be up to the people to decide whether to wear their face masks or not indoors, for their own protection and health reasons.
If there is an executive order, he said that the provincial government will abide by it, as they base their moves on what the national government tells them to do.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on the issuance of an executive order (EO) allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in indoor places, “with few exceptions.” While COVID-19 cases appear to be increasing, which was recorded at 158 as of October 26, Tumimbang however, said that hospital utilization rates remain low.
It means that persons testing positive for COVID 19 are not manifesting severe symptoms that need hospitalization, he added.
Negros Occidental logged one COVID-19 death yesterday.*
