Department Of Health (DOH) defends Dutertes remarks on using gasoline as face mask disinfectant.

According to DOH undersecretary Rosario Vergerie you know already how the President speak and he (Duterte) is just kidding on his statements.

“Alam nyo naman pano mag salita si Presidente, baka jokes lang niya yun”

The statement derived from the President latest press conference wherein Duterte advised to dip the used facemask in gasoline if they cannot afford to buy any alcohol or any sanitizing agent.

PRRD also mentioned lately that you can wash and reuse the mask, Vergierie noted that the President is referring to face mask made of cloth.

She let the public understand that there is a proper kind of face mask use depending on your natures of work.

“May department memo tayo on rational use of protective equipment. ‘Pag ikaw ay may symptoms, gamitin mo surgical mask. ‘Pag ikaw ay nagtatrabaho sa ospital, N95 mask. Kapag sa community, cloth mask,” she said.

Usec Vergierie also clarified that those N95, surgical and other disposable mask cannot be used twice and should be properly disposed after use, she added it is not proper to wash those mask mentioned above because when you wash it the filtering mechanism of the mask will be gone and you will be exposed to virus and bacterial infection.

Furthermore she added that after washing your cloth mask it should be heated under direct sunlight to kill the harmful elements and to ensure its safety for use.