Batam City Government Opens Opportunity To Use Bluepass, A Sophisticated Tool For COVID Detection Similar To Flashdisk

Secretary of Batam City, Jefridin. (ANTARA/HO-Batam City Government)

BATAM - The Batam City Government, Riau Islands, is considering the use of a close contact tracing tool for residents exposed to COVID-19, Bluepass as an effort to suppress the transmission of the corona virus in the island city.

Batam City Secretary Jefridin Hamid said, Singapore intends to assist the use of Bluepass in Batam City. But Batam City Government still has to consider it.

"Singapore plans to help 1 million Bluepass devices, but we have to learn how the tools work first," said Batam City Secretary Jefridin after attending a virtual meeting on the use of Bluepass with the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore in Batam, Antara, Friday, August 13.

The Regional Secretary said in a virtual meeting, the Singaporean side opened cooperation on the use of Bluepass in tracing and tracing close contacts of COVID-19 patients in Batam.

The plan to use Bluepass, he said, would be submitted to Mayor Muhammad Rudi for a decision.

Bluepass is a digital COVID-19 tracking tool that looks like a flash disc.

The tool, which has been tested at BNPB, records the user's interactions with people in more than 15 minutes and at a distance of less than two meters in accordance with the characteristics of the transmission of the Corona Virus.

That way, if the wearer is confirmed to be positive for COVID-19, it can quickly find out who his close contacts are.

A similar tool has been simulated in the Lagoi Tourism Area, Bintan Regency, Riau Islands and is considered successful.

The use of Bluepass in Lagoi is an effort by the management, in preparing to welcome back foreign tourists.