DILG Secretary Eduardo Año. (Screeengrab from pre-SONA Forum)
MANILA – Close to 5,000 contact tracing teams were formed as local government units (LGUs) continue to intensify contact tracing, testing and referrals of patients to hospitals and facilities in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health crisis, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday.
During the pre-SONA Forum aired over state-run PTV-4, Año said there are 4,818 contact tracing teams across the country which are composed of 65,574 members.
"Sisiguraduhin natin na makikipag-ugnayan tayo sa community at siguraduhin natin na ma-trace natin at mai-test natin at finally, ma-isolate natin (We will make sure that we continue to coordinate with the community and ensure that we are able to treat, test and finally isolate patients). So for the coming days, weeks and months, lalo pa tayong magpapaigting at inaasahan natin mayroon pa tayong mabibigyan ng trabaho kapag nakapag-hire tayo ng (we will intensify and we expect to provide jobs once we are able to hire) additional 50,000 contact tracers," he said.
Año said the 65,574 contact tracers is a significant improvement from only 219 in March when the government started implementing an enhanced community quarantine.
He added that these teams have so far traced and assessed 115,816 "close contacts" and 135,353 "general contacts" of Covid-19 patients nationwide.
This is pursuant to DILG's Memorandum Circular 2020-077 directing LGUs to establish their own task forces against Covid-19, including contact tracing teams.
He noted that the recruitment of contact tracers has been ongoing in Cebu and in the National Capital Region, where there is a big number of Covid-19 cases.
The DILG is just waiting for the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to release the budget for this purpose, he said.
Año pointed out that each barangay should have its own contact tracer team while the business centers should have their own separate teams.
He, meanwhile, appealed for the public’s understanding and full cooperation with the government’s programs to ease the people’s suffering during the pandemic.
“Our path is full of great challenges. We cannot remain stagnant for too long. Neither can we afford to have a second wave of Covid-19 infections. Our actions and decisions need to be balanced and are in tune with the needs of the times. So we (appeal to) everybody to follow the minimum health standards,” he stressed. (PNA)
