SWS: Willingness of Filipinos to Join COVID-19 Contact Tracing is ‘Extremely High’

MANILA – Filipinos have shown an “extremely high” willingness to comply with efforts to trace those who had close contact with coronavirus patients, a key point in the government’s response to the pandemic, according to a survey released Friday.

Of 1,249 adults surveyed by Social Weather Stations (SWS) from Sept. 17-20, 97 percent said they would self-quarantine if they came in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.

About 96 percent said they would list all their contacts if they contracted the respiratory disease, 93 percent would give access to their cell phone location data, and 87 percent would volunteer for weekly tests to track the progression of the disease. virus, said the SWS.

“The willingness to comply with the 4 COVID-19 contact tracing efforts is extremely high in all areas,” the pollster said in a statement.

This is higher than willingness to cooperate in contact tracing efforts in the US, currently the country with the highest number of infections.

A survey of Americans conducted by Axios / Ipsos last May found that 84 percent were likely to self-quarantine if they came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

About 76 percent are likely to provide a list of everyone they have been in contact with, 59 percent are likely to volunteer for weekly tests, and 56 percent are likely to give access to cell phone location .

“This shows that although most Americans say they are willing to cooperate, their proportions are not as high as Filipinos,” SWS said.

The United States broke its single-day record for new coronavirus infections on Thursday, reporting more than 91,000 new cases, as hospitalizations also hit new highs in many states, according to a Reuters tally.

More than 229,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the US, the highest death toll in the world.

The Philippines recorded 2,006 new coronavirus infections and 38 more deaths on Friday. In a bulletin, the agency said that total confirmed infections have risen to 378,933 while deaths have reached 7,185.

– With a Reuters report