Contact-trace deficiency closing — Año
We continue to strengthen all our contact tracing efforts for COVID-19
Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday reported closing the gap on the required number of contract tracers to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his pre-SoNA, or state of the nation address, briefing, Año reported the addition of 4,818 contact tracing teams that brought the nationwide tally to 65,675.
This means the potential hiring of more than 21,000 to help boost the country’s tracing ability.
"We continue to strengthen all our contact tracing efforts for COVID-19," Año said.
Such is consistent with DILG Memorandum Circular 2020-077 directing local government units (LGU) to establish their own task forces against COVID-19, including contact tracing teams.
In an existing memorandum of agreement, the Department of Health, the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire and Protection call for data sharing and localization of contact tracing.
The task force grants LGU the authority to take the lead in contact tracing efforts.
Ano said the recruitment of contact tracers is ongoing in Cebu and in the National Capital Region where COVID-19 cases abound, waiting for the Department of Budget and Management to release the budget for this purpose.
He also said each barangay should have its own contact tracer team and the business centers should have their own separate teams.
Based on this, Año directed all 42,045 barangays nationwide to create their own contact tracing teams (CTT), saying that as more communities are exposed to coronavirus transmissions, it is imperative to have contact tracers coming from the same community due to their familiarity and kinship with the residents of the barangay.
“We are in for the long haul until a vaccine is developed. CTT in barangays will be the first responders to ensure that all residents, especially the ones who are infected with their immediate family, are monitored and accounted for.”
He also said each barangay should have its own contact tracer team and the business centers should have their own separate teams.
A former Armed Forces Chief, Año said CTT in the barangays are “soldiers in a battle with the complete understanding of the terrain.”