9 July 2020 – The Baguio City Government has set up a new web domain that will enable it to share its Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) data collection tool with other local government units in the country.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the Management Committee meeting July 7 that the Dept. of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has approved the city’s application for a new domain that can be utilized by LGUs interested to set up their own information system to aid them in data collection, real-time monitoring and management of COVID-19 cases.
“This will lead to better decision-making crucial to containing the spread of the virus,” Magalong said.
Executive Asst. V Philip Puzon said that through the domain, LGUs can set up their own COVID-19 data base using the city’s data collection tool and the information when inputted to the link analysis software being used by the police will generate links and data useful in contact tracing.
Apart from allowing them to utilize the domain and help them develop their own websites, the city will also teach them on how to use both the data collection tool to build their own data base and the link analysis software for their contact tracing.
Magalong and some members of the city’s contact tracing team are currently in Cebu City to conduct contact tracing training to key police and government personnel in the area to help them beef up their tracking measures.
After Cebu City, the cities of Zamboanga, Muntinlupa and Bacoor as well as the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources central office also requested Baguio City’s help in setting up if not improving their own contact tracing schemes.
The city earlier shared the technology to its neighboring provinces in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The city’s contact tracing system uses a multi-pronged approach: detection, isolation, testing and tracing.
Apart from the computer-aided data collection system and link analysis, it also integrates cognitive interviewing and patient identity disclosure to maximize gathering of contact information and facilitate quarantine, testing, disinfection and medical protocols. **Aileen P. Refuerzo
