AN official of the Department of Health (DOH) reminded the public to take extra care when it comes to the holding of “carolings.”
The singing of popular Christmas songs, or what Filipinos call “Caroling,” is a common activity of both Filipino adults and children alike during the Christmas season, where “carolers” go from house to house to solicit donations, mostly monetary.
In a statement, DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire clarified that although there are no explicit provisions against the holding of “caroling” activities under Alert Level 2 guidelines, local government units (LGUs) are encouraged to develop specific guidelines based on their respective local settings.
She reminded the public that under the “3Cs” framework (avoid Closed Spaces, Crowded Places, Close-Contact Settings), there are risks for close contacts during transmission under voice-related activities such as singing, especially if conducted in crowded or closed settings.
“Risks may be mitigated if conducted outdoors and outside the household, with appropriate distance from observers, at smaller groups to avoid crowding, and not including the vulnerable and the elderly,” Vergeire continued.
She also suggested for the public to explore other options, which include virtual or online caroling.