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SINGAPORE: The government will distribute TraceTogether tokens to all Singaporean residents from September 14, as authorities aim to improve the existing contact tracing regime with a new system.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Wednesday (September 9) that it will test the SafeEntry implementation that requires the use of the TraceTogether app or the token to register at the venues.
This will be tested first in places where there are larger groups meeting, especially when attendees have to interact closely with each other or where masks may not be worn all the time due to the nature of the activities.
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“Supplementing SafeEntry with proximity data from TT (TraceTogether) will improve the safety of participants, as they will be guaranteed coverage under the TT program,” the Ministry of Health wrote in its press release.
“This will ensure greater confidence in mitigating the risk of the formation of large conglomerates and could allow a more secure increase in capacity limits at these events and venues with any possible future easing of the measures,” the ministry added.
In a separate press release, the Ministry of Health and the Office of Smart Nation and Digital Government said that this arrangement was tested at a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) event held in late August.
More pilots will progressively begin starting in October at larger-scale business-to-business events, before the program is further expanded to include venues such as food and beverage stores, movie theaters, gyms, and select workplaces.
At these venues, a visitor has to scan the venue’s QR code using the TraceTogether app on their mobile phone, or have the venue clerk scan the QR code on the token.
Speaking at a press conference of the multi-ministries COVID-19 task force, the minister in charge of the Smart Nation initiative, Vivian Balakrishnan, said that the speed of contact tracing is key in this phase of the government’s operations.
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“In recent months, due to the increasing use of digital tools and data from SafeEntry and TraceTogether, we have been able to reduce the time required to identify and isolate close contacts of positive cases from approximately three to four days in the past. . Now, for most cases, it is less than a day, ”Dr. Balakrishnan said.
“So the point is, speed matters,” he added.
To implement this process, the Government will distribute free TraceTogether tokens from September 14 to November to all Singapore residents.
Singaporeans are encouraged to download the TraceTogether app on their mobile phone or collect the token.
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At this time, the TraceTogether program is an application designed to support contact tracing efforts by using Bluetooth to identify other nearby TraceTogether users. Its use is currently voluntary for Singapore residents.
“A higher adoption rate makes the TT program and contact tracing efforts more efficient and effective,” said the Ministry of Health.
The tokens will be delivered first in the Jalan Besar and Tanjong Pagar regions, where there is a higher concentration of seniors who may have more challenges using the app and are more vulnerable to COVID-19, before collection points are spread out. all over the island. gradually, added the Ministry of Health.
Around 10,000 tokens had already been distributed to seniors at the end of June.
Since the elderly are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, Singapore needs to have systems that are “fail-safe” and “convenient,” Dr Balakrishnan said.
READ: ‘Absolutely Essential’ COVID-19 Contact Tracing; Portable TraceTogether Tokens to Launch in June
The Smart Nation office and the Health Ministry said that the distribution of the tokens will begin in areas with more seniors, as they are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and are also less likely to own a smartphone.
Residents can visit the TokenGoWhere website, token.gowhere.gov.sg, for more details on the collection sites and time.
Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore is now in a phase where it is beginning to open up, with the resumption of conferences and business-related events.
“And for these types of events in which there will be more people interacting, it is not enough to know who has been in this building, let’s say in the last hour, you actually want to know about that group of people who happen to be in the building, which in they have actually been very close to each other, ”he said.
“To have that level of granularity, you need proximity data.”
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He added that in the current situation, “intensive and meticulous” contact tracing is required.
“How can we go back, not to the old normal, but to the new normal where we can have activities, but to do it safely?” He said.
“It requires intensive and recurring tests, in the case of bedrooms. And in the case of the community, it requires intensive and meticulous contact tracing skills. “
“We are trying to use these digital tools to be able to do this seamlessly, without being intrusive,” he said.
ALERTS IF YOU WERE CLOSE TO A COVID-19 CASE
Authorities will also introduce a self-check and texting service starting September 10 so that people can receive alerts if they have visited the same places at the same time as the COVID-19 cases, according to their own SafeEntry records, it announced. the ministry. .
The self-test service will be available in the TraceTogether app, SingPass Mobile or wereyouthere.safeentry.gov.sg.
READ: COVID-19: Vulnerable Seniors to Receive First Batch of TraceTogether Tokens June 28
The SMS alerts will be sent to a smaller group of people who were in locations that were considered to be at higher risk of transmission at the same time as the COVID-19 cases.
This includes dining rooms and gyms where people do not wear masks for long periods.
“These characteristics will help everyone do their part to anticipate the pandemic and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe,” said the Ministry of Health.
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