22 May 2020

Presidential Task Force Team for COVID-19 Coordinator, Dr Kereng Masupu has indicated that they will from next week launch a Quick Response (QR) digital register and face out the mutual registrations for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes.

Briefing the media on Friday, Dr Masupu stated that all public sites and public transport operators will be mandated to upload an electronic application, which will be connected to the main government server and compatible to all types of phones.

Dr Masupu said the App, which will be called ‘B-safe’ was innovated by a young Motswana with the aim to reduce the overcrowding currently experienced by customers at service providing sites.

He said the App will strictly be used for contact tracing and the data collected will be for public health purposes, thus dismissing concerns among privacy advocates. 

Furthermore, Dr Masupu confirmed of a Zimbabwean national who recently tested positive for COVID-19 in Botswana on returning to Zimbabwe, highlighting that investigation on the matter is still ongoing.

He said Southern Africa’s regional leaders are however on frequent dialogues to strategise on how best to prevent regional transmission and raised a concern at the standards and quality of some infrared thermometers in use.

Dr Masupu said it has come to the taskforce’s observation that some are not up to the recommended standards, hence could give a wrong temperature reading.

He also decried of the non-compliance to COVID-19 protocols by certain individuals, particularly in the urban areas of Mogoditshane and Gaborone Block 7, adding that the lockdown remains an option should COVID-19 protocols violation continue.

Dr Masupu urged the public to continue with all COVID 19 regulations and emphasized the usage of face masks by  all  congregants as churches are expects to resume their services shortly. Ends