Dr. Anthony Cortez is a lone community doctor serving 56,000 people in the town of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. Cortez, who leads the town's fight against the coronavirus has one secret that helps his job easier especially in contact tracing while maintaining zero COVID-19 cases in his town.
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| Photo source: NationalGeographic |
When first coronavirus case in the Philippines was confirmed in January, local government was quick to implement measures to prevent coronavirus from entering the town.
While the World Health Organization reported that cases in the Philippines has rising faster than any other country in the Western Pacific, Bambang hasn't reported a single case so far.
Cortez, who was tasked to oversee the situation also set up a system of contact tracing which they called a 'Gossip brigade'. With the help of gossipmongers or "tsismosa" they could easily get information about new arrival and returning resident coming from/to other countries.
They assume everyone who has travel history as suspected carrier that needs a 14 day quarantine.
"Village chiefs asked people known to keep an eye on the neighbors, usually elderly women, to keep tabs on new arrivals to the village. The chief then reports the news to the doctor, who sends nurses to follow up," nationalgeographic reports.
Members of the "gossip brigade" were thrilled to help, as it's their time to shine.
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