To stay one step ahead in its contact tracing efforts, the city government of Davao has stepped up its methods by releasing contact list and history form at the District Health Offices to track people exposed to positive Covid-19 cases faster before a swab test result is out.
The contact list and history form are where the patients must put their close contacts and their history of travel. The forms must then be returned at the District Health Office within 24 hours to make sure that there is no delay in advising close contacts to do quarantine.
“We are trying to be one step ahead sa atoang contact-tracing ug duna ta’y bag-o na gi-baba sa atoang mga district health offices ug mga forms. So every time na dunay isa ka tao ingnan ka sa district health office na dapat ka i-swab, tagaan ka ug case investigation form (CIF). Within 24 hours dapat mabalik sa district health office ang contact list form ug history form,” Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a live interview with Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) 87.5 on Friday.
“Kanang forms i-fill up ug dapat ibalik siya within 24 hours and dapat masultihan na dayon ug mga nakalista didto na close contacts nga mag-quarantine na sila until mugawas ang result sa ilahang close contact,” she added.
The mayor said that the city is also tracing the close contacts of those who had exposures to a Covid-19 positive case to ensure they also immediately undergo the 14-day quarantine to contain the spread of the virus.
She said there is no need to wait for the results within 24 hours but will just tell the people to do quarantine.
“Ang contact tracing team magsugod na sila contact didto. We want to take it one step further kana man sila ang close contact sa gi-swab, ang gusto na pud nato is advisan nato sila nga mag-quarantine ang close contact sa close contact sa gi-swab nga nagahulat ug results,” Mayor Sara said.
According to the mayor the city has resorted to this initiative as delay from swabbing to results was noticed.
“During our discussion dunay delay from contact tracing until results, from swabbing to results. Medyo taas ang delay so every time na dunay delay nga one day anang contact tracing, mudaghan ang cases due to exposure,” she said.
Mayor Sara also said that the city is also developing a new electronic system for contact tracing to locate the close contacts more efficiently.
