Use of digital contact tracing app to be mandated

September 20, 2020 Metro BLISTT

The city council has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to require all persons in the city to register and utilize a digital contact tracing app called StaySafe.ph. Upon enactment, any person who fails to register and use the digital contact tracing and health condition reporting system of the said mobile app may be denied any services by any entity operating in the City of Baguio.
Councilor Joel Alangsab, author of the ordinance, said the mobile app can be an effective tool in protecting its users from the Coronavirus contagion.
“This online application helps the user maintain social distancing and activate digital contact tracing by enabling the mobile phone’s Bluetooth or GPS,” Alangsab stated.
The councilor explained that the Bluetooth can autodetect nearby COVID-19 cases and notify the user to stay alert while the GPS can help scan current locations for probable, suspect, or confirmed COVID-19 cases up to 300-meter radius.
The app has its social distancing system which uses geolocation that scans and determines when the user is close to someone who was reported to have mild symptoms or severe condition, the
ordinance explained.
Another feature of the app is that it is “useful for measuring social distancing, which requires people to stay physically apart to lessen the chances of contacting COVID-19. The ordinance added that StaySafe.ph also has a QR code scanning feature which generates a unique QR code for each user that they may present for future health checks and contact tracing in various establishments, malls, restaurants, workplaces, transport facilities, and checkpoints.
The ordinance pointed out that the app also features easy-to-use health reporting system that users can utilize to determine if they are in good health condition or fall under mild or severe cases. Also, once passed, this ordinance will supersede the recently enacted ordinance imposing establishments and public utility vehicles to provide or use information slips for record and monitoring purposes.
“All data gathered from the app is directed to the local government’s portal. If there is an identified potential and possible cases of the virus, the information will be shared with the barangay Emergency Response Team to provide valuable medical assessment, guidance, advice, and information to the patient,” the ordinance stated.
Jordan G. Habbiling/ABN