COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience

Diana Bright; Graham Brown; Richard J Roberts; Simon Cottrell; Ashley Gould; Amrita Jesurasa; Philip Daniels; Llion Davies

doi:10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100035

COVID-19 contact tracing: The Welsh experience

Public Health Pract (Oxf). 2020 Nov:1:100035. doi: 10.1016/j.puhip.2020.100035. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Authors

Diana Bright¹, Graham Brown², Richard J Roberts³, Simon Cottrell⁴, Ashley Gould⁵, Amrita Jesurasa⁵, Philip Daniels⁶, Llion Davies¹

Affiliations

¹ Knowledge Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK.
² Health Protection Division, Public Health Services Directorate, National Public Health Service for Wales, Preswylfa, Hendy Road, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1PZ, UK.
³ Health Protection Division, Public Health Services Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 4, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK.
⁴ Health Protection CDSC, Public Health Wales, Floor 4, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK.
⁵ Health and Wellbeing Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK.
⁶ Policy, Research and International Development Directorate, Public Health Wales, Floor 5, Number 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Wales, CF10 4BQ, UK.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Contact tracing; Containment; Covid-19; Public health; Wales.