The government clarified on Monday that shoppers are allowed to enter supermarkets even without face masks as a protective gear against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to the authorities, there was no order for such establishments to refuse entry of its customers due to the said reason. However, some grocery stores strictly imposed a "no mask, no entry" policy and denied entry of all customers who did not follow.
Despite the insufficient supply of the shields due to COVID-19, such policies are still posted at some stores.
“Wala naman kaming inilabas na patakaran mula sa inter-agency task force na kailangan magsuot ng mask bago pumasok sa mga supermarket,” said Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 Spokesperson Karlo Nograles.
Nograles said that supermarkets and other establishments are only required to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease.
The government placed Luzon under lockdown until April 12 to control the spread of COVID-19 which has infected a total of 462 in the country, and claimed the lives of 33 others as of Monday.
The lockdown means strict home confinement in all households, suspension of transportation vehicles and other establishments, regulation of provision for food and essential health services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures.
Source: ABS-CBN News
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