By the end of current quarantine classifications on Sept. 30, the Philippines would have been under some form of restrictions for over one half of 2020 and with no vaccine in sight, the Department of Health on Wednesday released a free Guide to the New Normal.
Published by the agency's Health Promotion and Communication Service, the online resource "seeks to provide guidance to the general public as we all continue to adjust to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."
How many steps are there in proper handwashing? It's zero to 11, the moment you wet your hands, according to the pictoral guides. How many times must cloth face masks be washed? Once a day. These are all included in the DOH guide.
Aside from minimum health standards based on its five-point strategy in addressing the coronavirus crisis, A Guide to the New Normal also discusses risk assessment and policies for the new normal.
The resource, which can be downloaded from the Healthy Pilipinas website, is divided into three parts:
- The New Normal defined;
- Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in engineering and administrative settings; and
- Sector Specific Guidelines, particuarly for the film industry, sports and physical activity, and active transport
"In the event of any conflict of rules or guidelines, the interpretation of these guidelines shall ensure the protection of human rights. As such, the safety, needs, and well-being of the individual shall prevail."
