Executive order #7 - mask wearing
EO #7 was signed Oct 28, 2022 by the president -
In a nutshell it states mask wearing with a few reasonable exceptions is now voluntary indoors.
Bongbong made outdoor mask wearing voluntary a month earlier- never had a problem
with that one.
I know where I'm living but it's been a month and
90% of the public indoor places I go still INSIST on mask wearing. The mall, grocery stores, drug stores, immigration office, banks, and others.
I've had conversations with the door guards about this and all they say ( or want to say) is that masks are required to enter. I don't argue - I realize the guard is doing what he is told to do. I do mention that bongbong signed an EO saying mask wearing indoors is now voluntary.
What are others experience with mandatory mask wearing indoors post EO#7?
IMO it has been an unnecessary precaution for quite some time.
I am in the Dumaguete area.
@Nightfish I am also in the Dumaguete area. I was only asked once to wear a mask in the past 2 weeks or so. This was at my bank. Getting my banking business taken care of was far more important to me than getting into mask drama, so I put one on. (I always have one on hand.) Things happen slowly around here, including the unmasking.Â
Duke writes, "I was only asked once to wear a mask in the past weeks or so. This was at my bank.. Things happen slowly around here, including the unmasking. -@DukeStamina
`
So, to wear a Covid mask or not, that's the question?
According to death numbers, masks depend on your age.
Also, the ages of the people who are normally around you.
Apparently if you're old, and want to die, don't wear a mask.
Here's what the Washington Post newspaper said this morning..
Quote: "The Covid pandemic has become a plague of the elderly. Nearly 9 out of 10 deaths are in people 65 or older."
"More than 300 (US) people are now dying from Covid-19 each day, most of them 65 or older, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention."
"And while that’s much lower than the 2,000 daily toll at the peak of the delta wave, it is still roughly two to three times the rate at which people die of the flu, renewing debate about what is an “acceptable loss.â€
"And while older Americans have consistently been the worst hit during the crisis, that trend has become more pronounced. Today, nearly 9 in 10 Covid deaths are in people 65 or older — the highest rate ever, according to a Washington Post analysis of CDC data." (End Quote)
Ref:
And that death rate includes intensive critical care, in well-equipped hospitals.
In the Philippines? For non-citizens, there's little chance of a hospital ventilator.
Covid isn't a good death. So apparently, it's a case of older Phils-Expats beware?
`
In the Barangay where i live in Pampanga, you seldom see anyone wearing a mask. However, on the jeepney going anywhere, as well as the local markets, banks and other stores, it is still apparent that everyone wears a mask. When entering SM or Ayala Robinson's Mall, it is still mandatory to wear one.
This is no different in Metro Manila even though it has been made to be voluntary. I think this is just out of habit for most, seeing as we have had it pressed on us for the past 2 years. but as far as I am aware, still some health benefits are given, so i remain vigilant to wear a mask wherever i go (plus i don't trust the cleanliness and hygiene of the mass public).
Palaw1 comments:
Apparently if you're old, and want to die, don't wear a mask.
Bit of an over generalization?
Here's what the Washington Post newspaper said this morning..
Quote: "The Covid pandemic has become a plague of the elderly. Nearly 9 out of 10 deaths are in people 65 or older."
52%Â of those deaths are 75 or older- other conditions possibly a factor?
"More than 300 (US) people are now dying from Covid-19 each day, most of them 65 or older, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention."
You do the math:
300/330,000,000 × 100= %
more old codgers die from slips and falls.
In the Philippines? For non-citizens, there's little chance of a hospital ventilator.
non-citizen or citizen, agreed - this is no place to be seriously ill
Covid isn't a good death. So apparently, it's a case of older Phils-Expats beware? 1f636.svg
Beware and aware. In other words be cautious and informed.
If someone tells me the chance of something happening increased 400% and that something was miniscule to begin wth, then 5x that number is still realatively miniscule.
Risk touches everything, once that is agreed too, the question isn't "is it risky?" but "is the risk acceptable?"
EO#7 gave the individual (with a few reasonable exceptions) the ability to make that decision, but
only if you make their decision of choice. That just irks me.
@PalawOne So my question is, and has been for 3 years.. Did they die "with" covid... or "because" of covid... (did they have cancer, heart attack, stroke, etc... I personally do not believe anything anymore due to the numbers being so messed up the last 3 years... CDC has lost all credibility in my opinion. When they say covid deaths over the last 3 years, and at the same time flu and Pneumonia deaths disappear... I call a big BS on that... anyways... Peace ✌ðŸ¼
Hey Wells, why is it so surprising that flu would go down dramatically when everyone is wearing masks and using that caustic gel on their hands to kill germs? Just makes sense to me. Not sure about pneumonia or how it's transmitted though - I thought some covid deaths were a result of pneumonia at the end.
I have no problem with masks indoors. I likely caught my covid last summer in a small restaurant in downtown Dumaguete where some old foreigner at the neighboring table was hacking and coughing toward the end of our meal. He sounded really sick and had no mask on even after they had eaten. I was careless and we were eating indoors - usually we sit at tables outside if it's crowded.
I will add that I'm not scared of Covid. I'm scared of Long Covid. Which about 20% of people get - symptoms that stay for more than 3 months. I really don't want to be messed up for several months, especially if it hit my lungs, as I have asthma and I do endurance sports. So I'll continue trying to avoid it and get the Bivalent booster just before I head back there in January.
@PalawOne From what I can see, the latest daily death figure in this country of 110 million people was 5 on Nov. 15 2022. It did go up to 20 a few weeks earlier. Although the data says nothing about whether these were regular mask wearers, it seems that motorcycle accidents might rival this figure and if you drink or smoke cigarettes, the covid death rate really doesn't measure up to being a major concern here since the omicron variant became prevalent. But I still wear a mask because my wife wants me to and i do not wish to argue lol.
`
Hi Dan,
Please matey, believe and do whatever pleases .. ok, pleases the wife anyway
- Bad news is time flies quickly
- Good news is you're the pilot
`
@PalawOne Thanks. But wearing masks and having had 4 covid injections, I still contracted covid twice, most likely omicron and they were simply like bad colds. But other than 3 weeks of a prolonged productive upper respiratory cough (omicron symptoms), never did I need hospital care. In fact, in my mind, covid is over. The fear porn doesn't affect most people anymore. So we need to brace for the next big scare, climate emergencies or whatever.
@PalawOne Thanks. But .. in my mind, covid is over. -@danfinn
`
All good Dan, and we wish you and your smart & caring wife well.
Also suggest, if you're over 65 and in the Philippines, it's not over.
Remember.. the lung-damage long-term Covid does accumulates.
But, so whatever, please take care of yourself and your lady mate.
@PalawOne Thanks Palaw. My best regards from the asawa since you keep referring to her.
@PalawOne Thanks. But wearing masks and having had 4 covid injections, I still contracted covid twice, most likely omicron and they were simply like bad colds. But other than 3 weeks of a prolonged productive upper respiratory cough (omicron symptoms), never did I need hospital care. In fact, in my mind, covid is over. The fear porn doesn't affect most people anymore. So we need to brace for the next big scare, climate emergencies or whatever.
-@danfinn
I've had Covid twice, the first time I had the Killer Version, the second time the three day Flu Version, having only three Jabs.
The next big scare "climate emergencies". Three hundred thousand years ago the first Homo Sapiens appeared. The scientific Homo Sapient's of that time warned the use of fire to cook meat will make the sea's rise.

EO #7 was signed Oct 28, 2022 by the president -
In a nutshell it states mask wearing with a few reasonable exceptions is now voluntary indoors.
Bongbong made outdoor mask wearing voluntary a month earlier- never had a problem
with that one.
I know where I'm living but it's been a month and
90% of the public indoor places I go still INSIST on mask wearing. The mall, grocery stores, drug stores, immigration office, banks, and others.
I've had conversations with the door guards about this and all they say ( or want to say) is that masks are required to enter. I don't argue - I realize the guard is doing what he is told to do. I do mention that bongbong signed an EO saying mask wearing indoors is now voluntary.
What are others experience with mandatory mask wearing indoors post EO#7?
IMO it has been an unnecessary precaution for quite some time.
I am in the Dumaguete area.
-@Nightfish
First of all, I don't care whether people want or don't want to wear face masks now that it's not mandatory or if they don't want to get vaccinated. But I do believe wearing of face masks and getting the Covid-19 vaccine help in preventing the spread of the virus and the severe symptoms of Covid, which is why I still wear a face mask and already got 2 boosters. Though senior citizens seem to acquire severe symptoms more often than those in younger age brackets, still, I just don't want to risk it. One never knows how catching the virus will affect me . The scary thing for me is getting a hospital bill of Php1.3 MILLION and up if I end up with severe symptoms and sent to the ICU.
As for not letting people enter places like malls, grocery stores, banks and other private business if they don't have masks on, I believe business owners should not be prevented from doing so. Private businesses do have the right to refuse service to anyone, except when the reason is related to sex, religion or religious beliefs, race or color, age, citizenship and disability. You can wave a copy of EO #7 in front of their faces as much as you want, but you can't tell them what to do. You can take your business elsewhere if you don't like their policy. It's their loss.
Just my two cents.
@FilAmericanMom I think it will take a while for people to re-adjust to pre-pandemic behavior; that is only natural considering the fear everybody had when the virus was still in a very deadly form. I agree with you the we should do as our instincts tell us. I am also glad that the new President here is wise and has lifted these requirements to allow people to simply look after themselves and has declared "no more lockdowns" which had little effect if any. I do not agree that the vax halts the spread or that masks other than N95 properly fitted do much to protect.
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