AP review finds many U.S. states are scrambling to develop programs for tracing the contacts of those infected with COVID-19 even as they begin to reopen. By AP_Christina JHDearen.
FILE - In this April 22, 2020, file photo,Medical student Catherine Waldron talks with epidemiologist Elizabeth Goff at the Georgia Department of Public Health's district office in Savannah, Ga. Waldron is among about 30 medical students helping the Georgia health agency's coastal district with contact tracing aimed at identifying relatives, friends and co-workers of people infected by the virus to prevent its spread to others.
The result is a wide array of strategies and little national coordination. With few exceptions, most states reviewed by AP are going it alone. Many other countries dealing with the pandemic are taking a national approach to testing. Contact tracing is a pillar of infection control and typically requires in-depth interviews with those who may have been exposed. The number of public health employees needed for the work throughout the U.S. remains up for debate, but some estimates are as high as 300,000 people.
Health experts worry that a scattershot approach will only prolong the crisis, and they urge a more coordinated strategy. In South Korea, for example, the national health agency oversees the effort, gathering and sharing data on the movement of confirmed cases with local health departments. The country has seen its case count plummet and remain low.
Pennsylvania initially conducted tracing until the state began seeing community spread of the virus, and its ability to follow contacts was overwhelmed. Now it’s trying again. State officials estimate that it will take six hours to conduct basic tracing if an individual reported just 10 contacts. The CDC said Friday that it is working with state and local jurisdictions to identify needs for “surge support staff” to assist with contact tracing and other infection-control measures. Currently, states seeking help must rely on CDC staff members who are embedded with state health departments and other agencies.
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