ILOILO City – Next month, the city government will replace manual contact tracing forms with a quick response (QR) code system in all business establishments and offices.
Individuals six years old and above who are residents, working or visiting this city are mandated to secure QR codes – the black, machine-readable code consisting of an array of black and white squares, typically used for storing URLs or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone.
Manual log-in of personal data – wherein people take turn using a pen – could be a potential transmitter of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to Francis Cruz, chief of the city government’s Information Technology Services Division (ITSD).
Also, the secrecy of personal data could not be assured if these are contained in a form filled out by the customers.
“Registration starts today. After a two-week moratorium is the full implementation,” Cruz said.
Establishments and individuals are required to register at www.uswagtracer.com.
A confirmation email with the codes, site access, and user manual will be sent to the registrant.
The QR code may be printed or screen captured in the mobile phone for scanning upon entry to any office or establishment.
Why are QR codes being used?
The QR codes allow businesses to keep track of everyone who has been through their doors.
If someone contracts coronavirus, they can then tell any establishment they have been into recently, and that establishment can contact others who were there around the same time.
These people can then take COVID-19 tests and self-isolate until they receive their test results.
QR codes will become even more important when a mobile application is rolled out to the general public, as the application will be able to automatically alert anyone who has been near someone who gets the virus, for example in a restaurant.
The city government will also be alerted for appropriate action.
Through this, Cruz said individuals who are supposed to be on quarantine will be prevented from going out.
A three-level security is in place for data that will be encoded by the registrant.
Cruz added they have been meeting with government offices and business establishments since last week, and they will also be talking with barangay officials for their support to the initiative.
Initially, for a month already, the system is being implemented at city hall and the city’s district offices. So far, only city government employees have QR codes in their IDs.
According to Jeck Conlu, Iloilo City COVID-19 Team spokesperson, all establishments have to assign a personnel to scan QR codes of all individuals entering their premises.
“Ang importante diri nga makita kon ang isa ka tawo ara pa sa quarantine period,” said.
The QR code system is also in preparation for the anticipated influx of people from other provinces and cities this December for the Christmas season, said Conlu.
Help desks will be established in malls and city hall to help those who don’t know how to download the QR code./PN
