Read on Twitter
Thread . Lots of positive energy towards #ContactTracing from the tech sector, but not sure we need more/better apps for #COVID19 #ContactTracing is much more than just maps, which we also have plenty of. Hybrid tech:human approaches are essential. #ClickandMortar
Identifying and mapping #contacts is a core goal of #ContactTracing but there are important details that cannot be scraped from passive location & interaction data such as the specific nature of the contact individuals, disease and clues about #viral load & infectious dose
These details cannot be adequately determined without collecting data that would clearly be an invasion of #privacy unless adequate #InformedConsent is utilized with EVERY subject and #contact.
This requires human contact that can be labor intensive but facilitated by technologies, such as #telehealth & the many excellent #ContactTracing apps already available. The effort is worthwhile because these contact conversations are hugely valuable
They can lead to enrollment in #clinicaltrials , suspect case and #patient navigation, guided #testing, consented follow-up & recontact if a negative #contact becomes ill or a related #contact chain of transmission emerges
There is also huge benefit embedding #ContactTracing into a comprehensive Community Health Worker #CHW program that can deliver supplies, collect samples, assist in #homecare, deliver meals, identify and tract high-risk contacts etc. https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/31/community-health-workers-fight-covid-19-united-states/
Also, many of the benefits of passive #ContactTracing, such as better disease maps and self-reported already exist such as those already launched by @johnbrownstein We don't need 10 of these. We need 1 that everybody uses! https://abcnews.go.com/Health/website-people-report-coronavirus-symptoms-track-spread/story?id=69833912
For those that feel random testing is just as good, you are only correct if you assume that all cases are created equal, all patients will have similar trajectories & that the time scale of the #epidemic is irrelevant. Clearly not true for #COVID2019
Epidemics are only stopped by breaking chains of transmission or when exposure reached maximum possible. Chains of transmission are the only weather radar we have against #COVIDー19 & they are poorly detectable by random testing https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-distancing-transmission.html
Lastly, we are trying to prevent the #Infection of individuals as well as populations and some individuals are far more vulnerable than others. Heading off chains of transmission that are approaching more high vulnerable individuals is completely worthwhile.
There are two sets of populations that are especially vulnerable to #COVIDー19 . One grouping involves the under privileged https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200319.757883/full/
and the other special population that must be protected are those with serious and/or life-threatening chronic and acute diseases such as #Cancer https://www.cancer.gov/contact/emergency-preparedness/coronavirus
If you stuck with me this long, #ThankYou. #ContactTracing is not about tracking phone numbers or retail transactions, it is about identifying humans that are at risk of catching and spreading #COVIDー19. They deserve to be #informed, respected and cared for. Peace
