Employees will be required to wear face shields in working areas starting Aug. 15, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Wednesday.

“Effective August 15, it is not only face mask that workers should wear but also face shields. That is the new protocol,” Bello said in a radio interview.

He added that the Inter-Agency Task Force has advised employers to provide face shields to their employees.

He warned that workers will not be allowed to enter the workplace if they will not follow the health protocol.

Bello said the measure is an added layer of protection to stem further spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in their working areas.

“Yes, to prevent transmission in workplaces,” he said in a text message when asked on the reason for the policy.

In Memorandum Circular No. 2020-014, the Department of Transportation said commuters are required to wear face shields in public transport starting August 15.

The agency earlier said the wearing of face shield and mask, aside from physical distancing, effectively reduce the transmission of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) by as much as 99 percent.

The government has earlier encouraged the use of face shields not only in workplaces and public transport but also in public areas such as markets, hospitals, and quarantine facilities. (PNA)