Nothing wrong with employing chismosos — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) sees nothing wrong with tapping the neighborhood “chismoso” and “chismosa” (gossipers) to do contact tracing of people who could have interacted with individuals infected with COVID-19.

At a press briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire yesterday said the Philippine National Police (PNP) could have only wanted these individuals to help in tracking down those who could be carrying the new coronavirus.

“Anyway, there are guidelines that should be observed in appointing tracers. There are also policies on the information that they should collect and disclose to ensure that the privacy of a person is respected,” she noted.

Vergeire was reacting to reports that the PNP in Central Visayas was looking at the possibility of engaging the gossips in the community to intensify contact tracing to ensure that those possibly infected are isolated and given adequate management.

“We are all aligned. We are all guided by the different policies and there is the non-disclosure agreements when we are doing things like this,” she added.

According to Vergeire, contact tracing and monitoring of those undergoing home quarantine are really the functions of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), local government units and the Barangay Health Emergency Rescue Team.

Aside from this, they are also bound to monitor those who are possibly infected in the community.

Vergeire said the DILG now has 73,985 contact tracers while DOH has deployed 8,786 nurses who help in the surveillance and contact tracing.

She added that Interior Secretary Eduardo Año had included additional funding proposal under the proposed Bayanihan To Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2 so they can hire more contact tracers.