The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) stressed the need to step up the contact-tracing efforts through digital application in order to effectively manage the surging coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
In a news briefing, DILG Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. said the StaySafe.Ph app is currently one of the most effective technical solutions for a more efficient contact tracing system in the country.
Managed by the DILG, he said StaySafe.Ph is composed of two parts: the active contact-tracing and the passive contact-tracing.
The active contact tracing, according to Florece, is far more important as is geared towards a “very proactive data collection’’ which is very valuable with the use of the StaySafe.Ph application while the passive contact tracing relies on surveys and health declarations.
In a two minute video presentation, the StaySafe.Ph was explained to be a community driven contact tracing health condition probe reporting and social distancing system.
On how the system works, individuals have to visit www.staysafe.ph and register using their mobile numbers.
After the process, the said person could rely on his/her health condition and those of the other family members using the StaySafe checklist.
The application user can also be notified with the locations where there are positive, probable or suspected COVID-19 cases and through this system the individual and their families can avoid these places or warn them to exert extra precautions.
Staysafe.Ph application also issues health tips and instructions provided by the frontliners and health care professionals in case the user or any of the family members experience COVID-19 symptoms with the data being uploaded in a secured database.
The application also allows the national government, local government units (LGUs) and frontliners access to the possible COVID-19 registrants and their close contacts in need of assistance.
Under the said system, the LGUs will continue to relentlessly monitor real time COVID-19 cases in their communities which comes handy in providing the needed resources and aid in the barangays.
Florece explained that the StaySafe.Ph application has a QR (quick response) capability that aims to integrate the varying apps in the contact tracing systems of the LGUs.
“Now kasi kanya kanya ang QR code at kanya kanyang ang contact tracing apps sa mga LGUs. Sa mga malls bawat pasok natin ay mag scan ng QR code. Kung sa Madaluyong mayroon tayong Manda tracks, sa Valenzuela mayroon tayong Valenzuela trace sa Pasig may Pasig pass tayo. Sa Quezon City at Manila mayroon din sariling contact tracing app. (Now the LGUs have varying QR code and their own contact tracing apps. In the malls, there is a need to scan QR codes per entry. In Madaluyong they have the Manda tracks, in Valenzuela they have the Valenzuela trace, in Pasig they have the Pasig pass. Quezon City and Manila also have their own contact tracing apps),’’ said Florece.
With an integrated StaySafe,ph application, Florece said there will be a uniform scanning system when entering malls and other establishments which will do away with filling up the health declaration forms in every entry.
“Yung QR code na lamang po ang babasahin ng ating mga security personnel at doon ay mababasa nila kung tayo ay nag positive (COVID-19), tayo ay asymptomatic. Depende din sa health declaration mo at kayo ay maabisuhan kung na may nakasabay kayo sa mall na yun o
sa establishment na ibang positive, ibang taong naging positive (the security personnel will just read the QR code and from there it will be determined if we have been previously positive, or asymptomatic. Depending on the health declaration form, you will be informed if there are other positive or others that were previously tested positive persons in the mall or establishment you are in),’’ Florece said.