MANILA, Philippines — Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients are now required to disclose their personal information to enhance contact-tracing efforts, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Sunday.
“Para po matulungan ang contact-tracing efforts ng ating pamahalaan, mandatory o required na po ang paglalahad ng personal na impormasyon pagdating sa ating mga COVID-19 cases,” the official said in a virtual press briefing.
(In order to aid the contact-tracing efforts of the government, it is mandatory or required to give personal information when it comes to our COVID-19 cases.)
Contact tracing refers to the laborious process of finding out the recent persons who came into contact with those who tested positive for an infection like COVID-19.
Some COVID-19 patients have been reportedly concealing their real medical condition, risking the lives of health workers and the people with whom they have personally interacted with.
Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense will now carry out the government’s contact tracing activities. The Department of Health used to be the lead agency in doing this task.
“For this purpose, the DOH and the OCD are directed to enter into a data-sharing agreement (DSA) in accordance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the ‘Data Privacy Act,’” Nograles said.