Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview on Wednesday, December 29, that using torotot could cause droplets that can cause the virus to spread for it can be expelled by the air on the person in front of the torotot.
Schlosser said buying torotots is also risky considering that any person might have already tried blowing it, without them knowing.
“This is a risky activity. Kung mupalit ka’g torotot tas i-try nimo, kanang dili ka kaila kung kinsa ni-try atong torotot na gipalit nimo. Obvious answer siya nga, health wise, dili siya safe sa katawhan. Dili siya hygienic,” the spokesperson said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
(If you would buy torotot and you blow it, you do not know if it was already blown by another person before you bought it. It is an obvious answer that it is not safe health-wise. It’s not hygienic.)
Schlossser advised Filipinos to use other alternatives to celebrate the arrival of 2022.
“Dagha’g (There are many) ways to celebrate or make noise without spreading droplets. I hope maging mas creative ang mga tao (people would be creative) this time,” she said.
The official, however, clarified that vendors of torotots are not prohibited from selling these items since it is also their means of livelihood. Hence, she said it is under the discretion of the buyer or user to be cautious in using it.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, also reminded Dabawenyos to continuously observe the minimum health protocols, especially during gatherings, as this might contribute to a possible surge of cases in early 2022.
The mayor also said the threat of the Omicron variant might cause an uptick of cases next year.
“The surge will be fueled by the Christmas gatherings nagapanghitabo (which is happening) all over the city, and the Omicron variant,” Duterte-Carpio said.
According to the Department of Health data as of December 28, Davao City only recorded two new cases, bringing the total active cases to 59.
Meanwhile, the city’s Covid-19 positivity rate remains low at 0.3 percent as of December 26, an official from the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force said.