Use of Safe Davao QR for contact tracing remains

Dabawenyos are reminded that the Safe Davao QR (DQR) is still being used for tracing individuals in close contact with people positive of the Sars-CoV 2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, during her Special Hour program over Davao City Disaster Radio Monday, clarified that the DQR may have been used for the distribution of Pahalipay claims or donations, but it did not depart from its function as a tool to track close contacts of people positive with COVID-19 virus.

“Initially, it was used for contact tracing, and we still use it for contact tracing. You need to scan ang inyohang mga QR code when you enter and exit an establishment. Makita na didto kung mag-positive mo. SafeDavao QR gihapon ang among tan-awon para maka hatag mi og information sa mga exposed positive case. Mao pud na ang gamiton sa atoang contact tracing. (Initially, it was used for contact tracing, and we still use it for contact tracing. You need to scan your QR code when you enter and exit an establishment. It will be shown there who will be positive. SafeDavao QR will still be used to give information on those who are exposed to the positive case. It will also be used for our contact tracing),” the mayor said.

Mayor Sara in her previous interview also reminded the public that the city government will still follow the Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, Reintegration (PDITR) and the Management of the Dead.

Contact-tracing is part of the detection method for cases of Covid-19, especially with new variants such as the Omicron.

Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser in an interview over the Davao City Disaster Radio Friday last week advised people to be more patient in the government’s surveillance efforts including the swabbing of close contacts as an important response process in mitigating transmission.

Meanwhile, the city’s positivity rate on January 9 was recorded at 8.4 percent which is higher than the five percent acceptable positivity rate. This is also an increase of positivity rate from less than 5 percent during the first days of 2022.

As of January 10, the city has recorded 40 new cases bringing the total active cases to 462.

As the country, especially in Metro Manila, experiences a surge of Covid cases, the city has again put in place its response efforts, including all its Temporary Treatment and Management Facilities (TTMFs) and the Covid-19 Cluster Clinic at Doña Vicenta Village, Bajada that offers free swabbing, medicine, isolation and quarantine, and other COVID-19 related services to Dabawenyos. CIO