COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing Programs and Practice: Snapshots From the Field.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid scaling of public health interventions.
• Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) are crucial for disease control.
• Understanding CI/CT program implementation is vital for effective response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the status of state and territorial COVID-19 CI/CT programs.
• To identify variations in CI/CT staffing, practices, and challenges.
• To track changes in CI/CT programs over time.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two rapid online queries between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.
• Surveyed senior deputies in state and territorial health agencies.
• Achieved response rates of 45.8% and 40.7%.

Main Results:

• Significant variation existed in CI/CT staff roles, functions, and capacity across jurisdictions.
• Approaches to social support linkage and planned program modifications differed.
• Reported staffing and challenges demonstrated a dynamic, evolving landscape.

Conclusions:

• CI/CT program implementation is complex and jurisdiction-specific.
• Public health agencies faced evolving challenges in CI/CT during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Field insights highlight the need for adaptable CI/CT strategies.