Govt introduces app to support contact tracing as flights resume
The government on Friday announced that it will start using a mobile app from Saturday to enable passengers fill in their details which will assist the Ministry of Health in tracing should it be necessary in order to avoid crowding at the airport.
Explaining how the application would work, Dr Koki Mutua, Director for Public Health said the air travellers will be provided with a link from their airlines or from their booking agents for surveillance form which they will be required to fill and once submitted, they will receive a QR code.
She added that the air travellers will then proceed to the health desk, be screened and fill details like temperature then be released.
The person will be prompted to give daily readings for their temperature for 14 days on the app.
“If you fail to submit the daily readings will raise alarm and the passenger will be traced by our contact tracing team,” she said
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said travel guidelines will be subject to constant changes as different countries experience changing Covid-19 circumstances.
He noted that the travel guidelines are not unique to Kenya and that passengers should in the short term expect inconveniences.
“Categorization of what passengers will be subjected to is based on a risk assessment of the Covid-19 situation in the various countries people arrive from or travel to and guidelines will from time to time be given in communiqués from the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works,” said the CS.
International flights resume today (Saturday) as the country’s Covid-19 caseload as of Friday stood at 20,636, with 341 deaths.