INDIVIDUALS who are in close contact with Covid-19 suspected or infected individuals must self-isolate while waiting for their test results, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said.
Duterte-Carpio addressed this order to the City Health Office (CHO), the city's lead contact tracing agency, after noticing several delays in its contact tracing efforts due to the delay of the test results.
According to the mayor, the city's previous strategy is that those who are in close contact with an individual suspected of or positive with coronavirus will only self isolate once the result comes out.
But she said that most test results would be released in three days at most.
"Sa three days, daghan na na sila nakahalobilo (By that three days, there is a huge possibility that they have also contacted others)," Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview Friday, September 4, via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
With this, the mayor said those listed as close contact should already self-isolate until the result of those whom they have close contact with will be released.
This measure, she said, is a "one step further" approach in curbing the transmission of the virus.
Duterte-Carpio also said they updated its contact tracing forms, the contact list form and history form, to intensify its contact tracing activities.
Within 24 hours, the forms must be returned to CHO in order for the contact tracing to begin.
The mayor said there are delays in the contact tracing and it must be improved.
She said a delay in the contact tracing would risk the possibility of exposing a number of people.
"Gusto na sab nato is advise-san og quarantine ang close contact sa gi-swab na nagahulat og result (We also advise those who made close contact with the suspected patient, who is waiting for his or her result, to self-quarantine)," Duterte-Carpio said, calling this a "two-level" quarantine approach.
She also reminded those advised to self-quarantine to abide by the contact tracer's advice.
Meanwhile, the mayor is eyeing to digitize its contact tracing to avoid delays in the future.