(Eagle News) – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is eyeing the use of a Singapore-based mobile app to help in tracing contacts of COVID-19 patients.
In an online statement, the DICT said that it is currently coordinating with the Department of Health and other government agencies to look into ‘TraceTogether’, a community driven contact tracing app launched on March 20, 2020.
The DICT explained that TraceTogether allows the exchange of short-distance Bluetooth signals between phones, to detect other app users who are within about two to five-meter proximity. Records of encounter will then be stored in the users’ phones.
“If one app user tested positive for Covid-19, authorities will be able to identify other app users who were in close contact with the patient”, the DICT’s statement said.
The statement added that DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan has written to Singaporean Ambassador Gerard Ho Wei Hong to request more details and information about the app.
“In response, Ambassador Ho Wei Hong said Singapore is willing to provide technical assistance to DICT regarding the matter”, the statement added.
(Eagle News Service)
