Gov't contact tracing ability now at 80% to 90% -IATF

The capability of the national government to conduct contact tracing is now at 80% to 90%, Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) against the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Saturday.

Interviewed at the Laging Handa press briefing, Galvez said the IATF has endorsed the StaySafe.ph mobile application to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to be used by local government units for contact tracing.

Galvez said the IATF had met with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), Metro Manila mayors, and other key executives on Friday and discussed ways to boost the government's strategy on expanded testing and tracing.

"Nakikita po natin na may mga areas pa tayong dapat i-improve pero nakita rin natin na 'yung ating improvement sa contact tracing ay tumataas na po, 80% hanggang 90% ang probabilidad ng ating ibang key agencies," Galvez said.

The government is planning to hire around 136,000 contact tracers to help track down the close contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19.

The contact tracing ability in the National Capital Region is already at 76%, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has said. -MDM, GMA News