What is Contact Tracing?

When a person has been confirmed with a case of Covid-19, the “contact tracer” will ask the individual whom they’ve interacted with recently and these individuals will be notified. The hope is that these people will then make sure to quarantine or do their very best to limit exposure to others. 

While this method can be successful, it also comes with barriers. Often by the time the individual has tested positive, it can be hard to recall how many interactions there has been. While test results are starting to come back faster, unless you get the “rapid test” there is a waiting period. Another barrier is privacy, there could be some skepticism about sharing other people’s information.

Does technology have a place in this method? According to the CDC “adoption and evaluation of digital tools may expand the reach and efficacy of contact tracers”