Issue Guide: COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing

ABSTRACT

From the Executive Summary: As communities relax stay-at-home orders and ramp up testing, the public health system is seeing increases in COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases. Until vaccines are broadly available, the primary ways of preventing transmission of COVID-19 include interventions such as case investigation, contact tracing, social distancing, and isolation and quarantine. [...] An extensive and swift expansion of the case investigation and contact tracing workforce--paired with continuous evaluation to ensure effectiveness--is needed to adequately respond to rising caseloads and rapid investigation cycles. To complement this time-tested, workforce-based solution, technology companies have been engaging with various public health experts to develop new tools that could aid in COVID-19 response efforts. [...] This guide aims to help health officials think through critical functionalities needed for case investigations and contact tracing, technological options, and issues of implementation in adopting these technologies. It also addresses the latest topic of focus the Apple;Google exposure notification application programming interface. The background and key considerations included are intended to inform decision-making for technology-enabled enhancement of case investigation and contact tracing capacity.COVID-19 (Disease);Public health surveillance;Privacy, Right of