In light of the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Da Nang, the city’s administrators have deployed a host of tech-apps in a bid to assist functional forces in their pandemic prevention and control duties. As a result, these apps have become useful tools in supporting the city's fight against the pandemic.

The functional force was checking people's travel permits via QR code on 2 September Street. (Photo taken on September 5, 2021 by NHAT HA).

Recently, Da Nang applies a new form of the QR code issued simply and conveniently online via the website https://giaydiduong.danang.gov.vn/ instead of using the previous form of travel permits. Apart from that, residents can also access the epidemiological map at https://bit.ly/vungdovangxanh to be aware exactly whether their residing area is eligible for a travel permit or not.

In addition to using QR codes for travel permit, a host of city-developed apps using QR codes have been deployed in the locality so far. In particular, the city’s online health declaration system has seen a total of more than 4.6 million declarations, whilst entrance permits integrated with QR code to markets has had about 840,000 visits so far. Additionally, the number of medical declarations to control entering and leaving residential areas via QR code scanning has more than 6.1 million check-ins.

As reported by the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications, the city has set up 15 checkpoints at major entry and exit points to enforce COVID-19 rules on all arrivals to Da Nang from other localities nationwide. At these checkpoints, the arrivals have been guided to make medical declarations via QR code, thereby helping to limit direct physical contact as well as reduce the risk of infection from people to people.

Besides, the department has also deployed many applications assisting effectively in the pandemic prevention and control such as Automatic switchboard notifying close contact tracing; map system warning red zones, dangerous quarantine areas and doing statistics on essential goods supply points; watch-like G-Track smart bracelets attached with GPS devices, and quarantine management software linked to the ‘Danang Smart City app’ assisting in support for quarantining direct COVID-19 contacts at home.

According to Mr Tran Ngoc Thach, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, 280 smart bracelets have been sent to medical centres to check their effectiveness. As a result, more helpful yet prompt ideas have been contributed to the devices’ developers to make prompt adjustment, thereby increasing the accuracy and efficiency of these support devices. The equipment will check medical declarations at the prescribed time frames: 8:00 a.m, 4:00 p.m, 9:00 p.m daily, as well as receiving quarantined people’s photos and locations taken right at the time of requests.

“Meanwhile, the ‘Danang Smart City’ app is still being developed to be attached more functions to support quarantined people and managers. It can be seen that the application of tech-apps has helped reduce the investment and operating costs of equipment in case of increasing the number of quarantined people”, added Deputy Director Thach.

Till date, a large number of units citywide have taken full advantage of online platforms as well as tech- apps to prevent and control the pandemic. In the context that social distancing may take place frequently in the future, this can be considered as an opportunity to form novel habits for people to access and use online public services, as well as helping to save resources and costs for agencies and units in the long run.

In the coming time, the municipal Department of Information and Communications will continue to deploy the city's medical declaration application combined with QR code to control admissions at most hospitals, medical facilities, clinics, multi-user building, dormitories, hotels, accommodation facilities, etc.

At the same time, the agency will continue to perfect tech-apps supporting COVID-19 prevention and control. Moreover, the unit will attach more foreign languages to the QR code travel permit app to make it convenient for foreigners within the city as per the request of Mr Le Trung Chinh, the Chairman of the municipal People's Committee.

Reporting by NHAT HA- Translating by T.VY