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The Basics of Contact Tracing

Terms in this set (17)

Symptoms of Covid-19
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue (feeling extremely tired)
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
Contact
anyone who came in "close contact" with the PUI. This might include:

People who shared a close environment with a PUI, such as the workplace, classroom, household, or place of worship.

People who traveled with a PUI in a vehicle (any type) and were in close proximity to the PUI during that travel.

Healthcare workers who provided in-person care to the PUI without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
Close contact
someone who was within six feet of PUI for at least 15 minutes during that PUI's infectious period (48 hours before illness started until the time the PUI is isolated).
Contact tracing
is the process of identifying, assessing, and managing people, or "contacts," who have been exposed to a disease to prevent additional transmission
Objectives for COVID-19 contact tracing are to:
Identify and notify individuals who might have come in contact with a PUI.

Identify to what extent the contact has been exposed to the PUI.

Establish if the contact is at risk of getting the virus themselves.

Provide the contact with appropriate guidance. This may include counseling them on how to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and linking or referring them to medical care and other prevention services.
Goals for Working with PUIs
Maximize connections to support services, medical care (if appropriate), and counseling on ways to protect PUIs and others from COVID-19.

Collect additional data to ensure a complete case report, such as age, race, complete address, and other medical conditions that may put the PUI at increased risk for developing complications from COVID-19.

Ensure contacts are informed of their exposure to COVID-19 while maintaining the confidentiality of the PUI.
Goals for Working with Contacts
Track and notify as many contacts as possible about their potential exposure to COVID-19.

Link contacts as soon as possible to testing and medical care (as appropriate and available), support services, and counseling on ways to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

Explain the need to follow quarantine instructions, monitor for symptoms, and contact the health department immediately if they develop symptoms for COVID-19.
Goals for Working with Communities
Build trust and link communities to the resources they need to stay healthy.

Improve general population awareness of the virus and how to stay safe.

Reduce future rates of COVID-19 transmission by aiding in early diagnosis and offering services that help stop the spread of infection.
There are situations where a local or state health agency is allowed to share and use health information to:
• Protect the health of the public or an individual.
• Investigate and conduct other actions to stop the spread of diseases.
Case Investigator (or similar role):
Responsibilities may include contacting the PUI and conducting an interview to explain the need for isolation and collect additional information, including the contacts who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Contact Tracer (or similar role)
your responsibilities may include notifying the contact of their exposure, explaining the need to self-quarantine, and performing regular follow-up to monitor for symptoms and to determine the need for additional resources and support services.

In some situations, Contact Tracers may also assist Case Investigators in contacting PUIs and collecting information on their contacts.
Care Coordinator (or similar role):
Responsibilities may include connecting PUIs and their contacts to support services, such as food banks, mental health services, and other community programs.

This role may also assist the Case Investigator and Contact Tracer in outreach to PUIs and their contacts, case monitoring and follow-up, and arranging for testing.
Advanced COVID-19 Response Professionals:
Individuals with experience in clinical medicine, epidemiology, and surveillance may also serve as supervisors for contact tracing teams.

These individuals may coordinate the team's schedules, track progress (e.g., number of cases contacted successfully, referred to services, etc.), conduct quality assurance by listening in on calls, and troubleshoot when challenges arise.
Disease intervention specialists (DIS)
have a long history of investigating cases of infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted infections.

They are a part of the communities they serve and therefore have a deep understanding of community needs.

They are also experienced in conducting interviews and linking people to resources.

Because of their skillset, your state or local health department may enlist DIS to serve as Case Investigators or Contact Tracers, in addition to supervisors and mentors to new staff on contact tracing teams.
When Working with PUIs
Identify PUIs and prioritize them for contact tracing.

Share the purpose of contact tracing with the PUI.

Conduct interviews to learn information about their contacts.

Counsel PUIs about reducing their risk of spreading COVID-19 to others.

As appropriate, link PUIs to medical care.
Refer PUIs to other services.
When Working with Contacts
Notify contacts of their exposure.

Share the purpose of contact tracing with the contact.

Conduct interviews to assess their symptoms.

Explain and enforce the idea that even if the contact feels fine, they could have an infection and could potentially infect others.

Counsel contacts about reducing their risk of acquiring and transmitting COVID-19.

Refer contacts to COVID-19 testing if appropriate. Link contacts to medical care and treatment when needed.

Refer contacts to other services.
Steps to calculate the start and end dates for your contact tracing timeframe.
1. Determine the date and time of the PUI's first COVID-19-related symptom, for example, a cough or fever.

2. From this date, go back 48 hours (two days). Use this new date as the start time for the period during which the patient was infectious and could have spread the virus. This date marks the beginning of the contact tracing timeframe.

3. Determine the day the PUI entered isolation either in a healthcare facility or at home. This date marks the end of the contact tracing period.
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