Contact tracing is one of the efforts to break a chain transmission in communicable diseases control. The cross-border situations have many challenges and it can be potentially improved by developing a contact tracing system to strengthen national cross border mechanism.

Under the International Health Regulation 2005, it is important for every ASEAN Member States (AMS) to have the capacity to immediate prevent, detect and respond to any kind of threat that causes the Public Health Emergencies (PHE) through collective response for public health security. Each AMS should strengthen its core public health systems in order to meet sufficient capacities on early detection and rapid response to PHE. Regional connectivity and coordination are essential, including investing in the existing capacities.

To bridge the lack of effective communication mechanism among relevant border authorities among ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the lack of good quality information, it is important for ASEAN to establish a cross-border public health response protocol for contact tracing and rapid outbreak investigation among AMS in order to prevent and mitigate possible waves of COVID-19 and other similar cases in the future.