COVID-19 Infection Cases Tracked from TraceTogether Tokens and Utilisation Rate
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the effectiveness and distribution of TraceTogether tokens, with Mr Yip Hon Weng asking about tracked COVID-19 cases, utilization monitoring, and SafeEntry integration plans. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong stated that TraceTogether identified 25,000 close contacts and 160 positive cases, enabling faster identification and isolation than manual tracing. As of 1 November, 570,000 residents collected tokens and 2.7 million downloaded the app, with TraceTogether-only SafeEntry expanding to malls and workplaces by late December. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong noted that SafeEntry is being integrated via QR codes on tokens to replace NRIC check-ins, aiming to minimize public inconvenience. The government continues to study deeper system integration to shore up digital tracing capabilities and support the safe reopening of the economy and resumption of activities.
Transcript
19 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) to date, how many COVID-19 infection cases have been successfully tracked from the TraceTogether tokens; (b) how does the Government track the actual utilisation rate of issued TraceTogether tokens; and (c) whether there are plans to integrate the SafeEntry feature into TraceTogether tokens.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: TraceTogether has helped to identify about 25,000 close contacts of COVID-19 cases so far, of which 160 were eventually tested positive COVID-19 cases. It has enabled the early identification and isolation of cases, faster than would have been possible with manual tracing.
We started the community distribution of TraceTogether tokens on 14 September. As at 1 November, 570,000 residents have collected their tokens. In addition, about 2.7 million have downloaded the TraceTogether app1 , which serves the same function as the token.
The effectiveness of TraceTogether increases as more users come onboard. We therefore encourage more Singaporeans to join the TraceTogether programme either by downloading the app or collecting and wearing the token. We have also introduced TraceTogether-only SafeEntry for selected higher-risk settings, and will extend this to more venues such as malls, F&B outlets, and workplaces towards the end of December.
We have started to integrate the SafeEntry feature into the TraceTogether Tokens. The QR code on the back of the TraceTogether Token may be used for SafeEntry check-ins. This QR Code can be scanned in lieu of the NRIC for entry into a SafeEntry venue. We will continue to study deeper integration of the two systems, in order to minimise public inconvenience even as we shore up our digital tracing capability so as to open up our economy and resume activities safely.