Appraisal of a Contact Tracing Training Program for COVID-19 in Greece Focusing on Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Background: Contact tracing as an epidemiological strategy has repeatedly contributed to the containment of various past epidemics and succeeded in controlling the spread of disease in the community. Systematic training of contact tracers is crucial in ensuring the effectiveness of epidemic containment. Methods: An intensive training course was offered to 216 health and other professionals who work with vulnerable population groups, such as Roma, refugees, and migrants in Greece, by the scientific team of the postgraduate programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine” of the Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, with the support of the Swiss embassy in Greece. The course was delivered online due to the pandemic restriction measures and was comprised of 16 h over 2 days. The course curriculum was adapted in Greek using, upon agreement, a similar training course to what was developed by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Evaluation of the course was conducted in order to determine the short term satisfaction from participating in this training course. Results: A total of 70% of the course participants completed the evaluation questionnaires and all trainers gave feedback on the course. The training modules were ranked as extremely useful by the majority of the participants and over 50% of the participants specifically stated that the course content was directly related to their work with vulnerable groups. Content about the ethics of contact tracing and the effective communication skills presented were deemed most useful. Conclusion: The course was well organised and provided the required skills for effective contact tracing. Many course participants intend to use some components in their work with vulnerable populations groups. Contact tracing efforts work best in a systematic and coordinated way and the provision of systematic and organised training can greatly increase its effectiveness.

The Dutch COVID-19 Notification App: Lessons Learned From a Mixed Methods Evaluation Among End Users and Contact-Tracing Employees

“…A German study [ 10 ] found that a higher level of education led to improved adoption of pandemic apps. In Belgium, a survey found a large majority of nonusers This refusal of use was largely due to privacy concerns and ambivalence about the app’s utility [ 11 ]. In Greece, an in-depth additional contact-tracing training study found that contact-tracing efforts work best in a systematic and coordinated manner, and systematic and organized training of contact-tracing workers can greatly increase its effectiveness [ 12 ].…”

Exploring the needs and experiences of contact tracing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland

“…Participants suggested that a greater emphasis be placed on practical on-site training with longer periods of shadowing and one to one supervision as this was perceived to better prepare them for the role. The provision of online discussion sessions and online role playing exercises [29], which can improve health communication skills and cultural competencies [33], may also help in building contact tracers' skills and confidence in emotionally charged situations [10,34].…”

Enforcement of the Use of Digital Contact-Tracing Apps in a Common Law Jurisdiction

“…The digital contact-tracing system could play a major role in secondary prevention, where exposed individuals could receive a notification so that they could comply with the regulations at the material time for, inter alia, undergoing testing and quarantine [ 10 ]. By identifying, isolating, and treating infected individuals, the transmission risk in the population could be minimised (primary prevention) [ 11 ], and the risk and severity of disease development could be reduced by early treatment (tertiary prevention). Thus, a digital contact-tracing system could become a gateway to all three levels of prevention.…”