Contact tracing for COVID-19 dependent on patients’ honesty

Contact tracing for COVID-19 dependent on patients’ honesty – health officials

May 08, 2020 News

By Rehanna Ramsay

Tracing the contacts of COVID-19 patients comes at a price; truthfulness. As such, health officials are heavily dependent on the “openness and honesty” of people affected by the disease, attributes they say are sometimes difficult to find but an absolute necessity when tracking possible cases of COVID -19.
This is underlined by Dr. Luella Sucre, an Epidemiologist attached to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). In a video message shared by the MoPH, Dr. Sucre explained the process undertaken to ensure that Guyana’s data of the disease is accurate.
In simple terms, the Epidemiologist said that the surveillance involves detective type work.
She noted that the data entry and contact-tracing of possible COVID -19 cases is primarily conducted via the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the Ministry.
According to Dr. Sucre, the data collection takes two forms –open and formal.
She explained that the open information is derived from rumours or informants.
“We have people calling in to inform us of possible cases. These are things that we definitely check out. Whereas the formal information relates to data sourced from the health centres, hospitals and sentinel healthcare facilities.”
At present, she explained that the COVID-19 hotlines is a main source of information for tracing possible cases.
“As long as the information filters and flows through the Surveillance Unit, we are actively involved in the daily contact-tracing for possible cases. We are looking for these persons for the effective prevention and control of the COVID-19 situation.
The Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit can only do effective contact- tracing if the information provided is from persons being honest about their whereabouts, movements and symptoms.
Dr. Sucre said too that, “The general public has this fear that they might be discriminated against once they have COVID-19. But we would like them to know that information is absolutely necessary for the prevention of any further spread of the disease.”
Meanwhile, in a similar message, Head of the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Sasha Waldron, shared how surveillance of COVID-19 cases is conducted in a systematic format.
The collection of data is essential for the adequate analysis and recommendation of cases.
Waldron stressed, “The more truthful people are when we speak to them, the better the analysis and recommendation in terms of planning Guyana’s COVID-19 response.”
“The collection and analysis of the data is vital to planning Guyana’s response and implementation. Once we‘ve been notified or we find a possible case then that person is contacted and the contact-tracing commences which means we try to find the people that person has been in contact with for the last 14 days,” she explained.
Waldron said too that, “With every contact that is done, we try to ensure a follow up is done with those persons. We check in with them to make sure that they have no symptoms such as fever, couching sneezing.”
She added, “Once there are symptoms, that person is red-flagged, if they have a fever or cough, we contact the Surveillance Unit which makes recommendation for testing… if there are no symptoms then that person receives clearance from a main health facility like the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, etc.”