“This is really good news because we can now hire a maximum of 50,000 more contact tracers to meet the WHO (World Health Organization) recommended ratio of one contact tracer for every 800 people,” Año said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENTThe additional manpower would supplement the existing 91,000 contact tracers from various local government units in the country, he added. Año said the hiring of 50,000 contact tracers would now allow the government to meet the recommendations of Baguio City Mayor and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong of 1:37 patient to close contacts ratio. “We will now be able to significantly increase the number of contact tracers to meet the 1:37 ratio target recommended by Mayor Magalong, which has been effective in Baguio and in Cebu City,” Año said. The DILG, Año said, would recruit additional contact tracers as soon as the funds are released to them by the Department of Budget and Management.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 21, 2020 20:37 UTC