Successful case investigation and contact tracing for COVID-19 is dependent on a robust and well-trained public health workforce.
Many are familiar with case investigation and contact tracing as a core strategy used in outbreak investigations (CDC Field Epidemiology Manual).
It has also been implemented for decades by Communicable Disease Investigators (CDI) or Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) in health departments throughout the United States to prevent and control tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and other infectious diseases, as well as to respond to outbreaks.
To be most effective, case investigation and contact tracing requires staff with adequate training, language skills, cultural sensitivity, supervision,