Año orders all barangays to conduct contact tracing teams

July 22, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday directed all 42,045 barangays nationwide to create their own contact tracing teams to boost the country’s contact tracing capabilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a DILG advisory released on Tuesday, Año directed barangays to create their own contact tracing teams “to conduct tracing for all persons with known exposure to a COVID-19 patient.”

He said as more communities are exposed to coronavirus transmissions, it is important to have contact tracers 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 and we need to prevent this virus from going to the community. Contact tracing teams in barangays will be the first responders to ensure that all residents, especially the ones who are infected together with their immediate families, are monitored and accounted for,” he said.

With more than 42,000 barangays in the country, Año said having contact tracing teams in each one will guarantee that close contacts of a COVID-19 patient will be accounted for, lessening the possibility of further contagion.

Contact tracing teams are also expected to ensure that patients are  observing appropriate quarantine measures or are transferred to government-managed isolation facility, if needed.

The contact tracing teams shall also monitor the status of probable, suspected and confirmed cases, including family members with known contact to a confirmed case to mitigate the spread of the virus and report these to the municipal or city health office.

Año said 69,098 contact tracers were deployed.

He said contact tracing teams in the barangays are likened to “soldiers who are engaging in a battle with the complete understanding of the terrain” and will boost the country’s anti-COVID-19 campaign.

He added they have tapped the local government academy and the Philippine Public Safety College in training all contact tracers which will be organized by the barangay.

Año also directed local government units ,through their barangay health workers, to visit homes and ensure that COVID-19 patients who do not qualify for home quarantine are properly referred to a health facility.

“We are strictly discouraging home quarantine. That’s why we are directing our barangay health workers to ensure that those who are undergoing home quarantine will be brought to Ligtas Center,” he said.

Año said a COVID-19 patient is allowed to practice home quarantine if he has a separate room where the patient can be isolated; if the patient has his own comfort room and avoid spread of the virus through touching of shared items; and if he is not living with people who are vulnerable to COVID-19 such as senior citizens and those with existing comorbidities, among others.

Año said LGUs must coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure the cooperation of all persons or entities identified as having a notifiable disease.

“As previously pointed out already, the PNP’s presence is only for support in transporting patients to Ligtas Center,” he added.  Ella Dionisio/DMS