Mask mandate back in Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The surge of coronavirus infections has prompted Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong to reimpose a policy requiring the wearing of face masks indoors and in crowded areas.

This developed after the city health office logged 67 active COVID cases following a reported uptrend that started three weeks ago.

The mandatory masking indoors and in crowded places applies to all including non-Baguio residents who visit the city.

“Although we won’t control the mobility of the people, we have to observe minimum health standards, especially the wearing of masks,” Magalong said.

Strict compliance with the mandatory use of face masks will be implemented at the Baguio City hall, churches, other indoor locations and areas where people converge.

Magalong, who was designated COVID contact tracing czar during the height of the pandemic, said he sees “an increasing trend in the next three to four weeks” before the cases would plateau.

He expressed belief that the Arcturus variant, a highly transmissible COVID variant that originated from India, has affected Baguio.

“We need to be more careful this time,” he said in Filipino.

He said the variant could be mild and cases would not need hospitalization.

Magalong urged residents to complete their vaccines agaist COVID.