COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience
Objective: Contact tracing is one of the key public health response actions to control the outbreak of a novel virus. This paper describes the preparation process, activation and operational experience for contact tracing of individuals in response to confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wales. Study design:...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Public Health in Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535220300343 |
| _version_ | 1818577135596470272 |
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| author | Diana Bright Graham Brown Richard J. Roberts Simon Cottrell Ashley Gould Amrita Jesurasa Philip Daniels Llion Davies |
| author_facet | Diana Bright Graham Brown Richard J. Roberts Simon Cottrell Ashley Gould Amrita Jesurasa Philip Daniels Llion Davies |
| author_sort | Diana Bright |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Contact tracing is one of the key public health response actions to control the outbreak of a novel virus. This paper describes the preparation process, activation and operational experience for contact tracing of individuals in response to confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wales. Study design: A descriptive approach has been adopted and lessons learned from our initial public health response to COVID-19 will be used to develop a new operational model for contact tracing in Wales. Methods: As part of preparations for the response in Wales, Public Health Wales formed a Contact Tracing Cell (CTC) ready to be mobilised in the event of a confirmed case. Results: Trial activation of the CTC during the preparation period helped to resolve some issues before ‘real’ activation. A highly flexible approach was needed due to the constant changes to the guidance that required rapid understanding, updates to pathways and clear communication to contact tracers. Conclusions: Our experience and recommendations may benefit future efforts to control the spread of the virus in Wales and elsewhere, particularly in supporting COVID-19 outbreaks in enclosed settings such as care homes or in geographically localised areas. Learning from the initial public health response to COVID-19 will guide the delivery and implementation of a new contact tracing model as we move to a later stage of the pandemic when containment measures become feasible in localised outbreaks. This may include scaling-up the CTC to mobilise contact tracers to local teams and the potential use of digital technologies to support the next operational model of the CTC in Wales. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:25:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46606967d66f48f2ae7a679d05e4e254 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-5352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:25:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health in Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-46606967d66f48f2ae7a679d05e4e2542022-12-21T22:41:01ZengElsevierPublic Health in Practice2666-53522020-11-011100035COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experienceDiana Bright0Graham Brown1Richard J. Roberts2Simon Cottrell3Ashley Gould4Amrita Jesurasa5Philip Daniels6Llion Davies7Knowledge Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK; Corresponding author.Health Protection Division, Public Health Services Directorate, National Public Health Service for Wales, Preswylfa, Hendy Road, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1PZ, UKHealth Protection Division, Public Health Services Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 4, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKHealth Protection CDSC, Public Health Wales, Floor 4, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKHealth and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKHealth and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKPolicy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKKnowledge Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UKObjective: Contact tracing is one of the key public health response actions to control the outbreak of a novel virus. This paper describes the preparation process, activation and operational experience for contact tracing of individuals in response to confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wales. Study design: A descriptive approach has been adopted and lessons learned from our initial public health response to COVID-19 will be used to develop a new operational model for contact tracing in Wales. Methods: As part of preparations for the response in Wales, Public Health Wales formed a Contact Tracing Cell (CTC) ready to be mobilised in the event of a confirmed case. Results: Trial activation of the CTC during the preparation period helped to resolve some issues before ‘real’ activation. A highly flexible approach was needed due to the constant changes to the guidance that required rapid understanding, updates to pathways and clear communication to contact tracers. Conclusions: Our experience and recommendations may benefit future efforts to control the spread of the virus in Wales and elsewhere, particularly in supporting COVID-19 outbreaks in enclosed settings such as care homes or in geographically localised areas. Learning from the initial public health response to COVID-19 will guide the delivery and implementation of a new contact tracing model as we move to a later stage of the pandemic when containment measures become feasible in localised outbreaks. This may include scaling-up the CTC to mobilise contact tracers to local teams and the potential use of digital technologies to support the next operational model of the CTC in Wales.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535220300343Covid-19Contact tracingContainmentPublic healthWales |
| spellingShingle | Diana Bright Graham Brown Richard J. Roberts Simon Cottrell Ashley Gould Amrita Jesurasa Philip Daniels Llion Davies COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience Public Health in Practice Covid-19 Contact tracing Containment Public health Wales |
| title | COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience |
| title_full | COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience |
| title_short | COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience |
| title_sort | covid 19 contact tracing the welsh experience |
| topic | Covid-19 Contact tracing Containment Public health Wales |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535220300343 |
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