Integrity of COVID Data Important – Mayor

19 August 2021 – Mayor Benjamin Magalong has emphasized the importance of data integrity in the ongoing battle against the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Throughout the pandemic, we have seen to it that our COVID-19 numbers are as they are, good or bad, uptrend or downtrend.  We don’t undermine or manipulate them just to look good,” he said.

He said it is important to give a premium to maintaining the accuracy and truthfulness of the data because they serve as guides and basis for strategic actions in navigating the pandemic.

“These data direct us on what actions to take.  We should not manipulate or tamper with them,” he said.

COVID-19 data in the city are also being studied, analyzed and interpreted to be useful.

In analyzing, the city uses analytical tools available through technology.

This includes the link analysis which is being used by the city’s lead contact tracing team.

Data analyst Mischelle Junio said the tool provides information of how one patient is related to another patient, showing their close contacts, a possible source of infection, the commonplace of engagements and the timeline of the onset of symptoms and where they possibly got infected.

“It also shows gaps and creates more opportunities of research on how to properly track down the specific period of time where the index case might possibly come in contact with the identified close contacts.  The information provided by this system is very critical in the decision-making on what area to lockdown, what activity or event needs to be suspended and who to quarantine. All these are curved towards breaking the chains of transmission,” Junio said. – Aileen P. Refuerzo