The value of manual backward contact tracing to control COVID-19 in practice, the Netherlands, February to March 2021: a pilot study

Timo Louis Boelsums, Inge Anna Theresia van de Luitgaarden, Jane Whelan, Hanna Poell, Charlotte Maria Hoffman, Ewout Fanoy, Maaike Buskermolen, Jan Hendrik Richardus

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2 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Background Contact tracing has been a key component of COVID-19 outbreak control. Backward contact tracing (BCT) aims to trace the source that infected the index case and, thereafter, the cases infected by the source. Modelling studies have suggested BCT will substantially reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission in addition to forward contact tracing.AimTo assess the feasibility and impact of adding BCT in practice. Methods We identified COVID-19 cases who were already registered in the electronic database between 19 February and 10 March 2021 for routine contact tracing at the Public Health Service (PHS) of Rotterdam-Rijnmond, the Netherlands (pop. 1.3 million). We investigated if, through a structured questionnaire by dedicated contact tracers, we could trace additional sources and cases infected by these sources. Potential sources identified by the index were approached to trace the source's contacts. We evaluated the number of source contacts that could be additionally quarantined. Results Of 7,448 COVID-19 cases interviewed in the study period, 47% (n = 3,497) indicated a source that was already registered as a case in the PHS electronic database. A potential, not yet registered source was traced in 13% (n = 979). Backward contact tracing was possible in 62 of 979 cases, from whom an additional 133 potential sources were traced, and four were eligible for tracing of source contacts. Two additional contacts traced had to stay in quarantine for 1 day. No new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. Conclusions The addition of manual BCT to control the COVID-19 pandemic did not provide added value in our study setting.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2200916
Number of pages9
JournalEuro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin
Volume28
Issue number41
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 12 Oct 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). All rights reserved.

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