How to Become a Contact Tracer
At a time of unprecedented rise in unemployment, there is a growing demand for one job: contact tracing . As part of the Centers for Disease Control’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing involves calling people with suspected and confirmed infections and keeping a record of everyone they may have come into close contact with during the time they were most infectious.
According to a poll conducted by NPR on May 7, states currently plan to hire about 61,000 contact trackers – a figure that has nearly doubled in 10 days since the same poll was first conducted in late April. Now, the New York Times estimates that between 100,000 and 300,000 contact trackers will be needed nationwide. So what does it take to become a contact tracing professional, how much does it cost and who can apply? Here’s what you need to know.
What does a contact tracker do?
Unlike contact tracers from previous infectious disease outbreaks who went door to door collecting information, COVID-19 contact tracers are completely remote employees who conduct their phone interviews. In addition to contacting people who have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 to find out who they have been in contact with, contact traders also call other people who may have been exposed to the virus.
During this process, they will check for symptoms, refer interview subjects for testing according to established protocols, and give them quarantine instructions. These job responsibilities are in line with the Contrace Public Health Corps job posting, which helps connect states, health departments, and companies with people interested in contact tracing. According to Business Insider, contact trackers are paid between $ 17 and $ 22 an hour, with benefits provided to full-time employees. Contact tracers are available Monday through Friday on eight, 10 or 12 hour shifts.
What qualifications are required to track contacts?
As the CDC points out , “contact tracing is a special skill,” requiring everything from understanding patient confidentiality to basic crisis counseling skills, critical thinking and sound judgment, to empathy. Applicants must be at least a US resident with a high school diploma or equivalent and be fluent in English. Excellent organizational, communication and computer skills are also required. Preference is given to nurses and other medical personnel, as well as those who have worked in public health.
According to the CDC, the knowledge and skills required for contact tracing tools include, but are not limited to:
* Understanding patient confidentiality, including the ability to conduct interviews without violating confidentiality (for example, for those who may eavesdrop on their conversations)
* Understanding of medical terms and principles of exposure, infection, infectious period, potential infectious interactions, disease symptoms, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic infection
* Excellent and empathetic interpersonal, cultural sensitivity and interviewing skills to build and maintain trusting relationships with patients and contacts
* Basic crisis counseling skills and the ability to confidently guide patients and contacts for further treatment if needed
* Ingenuity in finding patients and contacts who may be difficult to reach or who do not want to participate in the conversation
* Understanding when to refer people or situations to medical, social, or surveillance resources
* Cultural competence appropriate to the local community
How to Apply to Become a Contact Tracer
Anyone who wants to apply for contact tracing can do so through the Contrace website . The application contains 23 questions, which usually take no more than five minutes to complete. As of May 18, The New York Times reports that Contrace has received over 50,000 applications in the past few weeks, mostly from women.