Contact tracing still a crucial tool to curb spread of coronavirus, say experts

Closer home, the health ministry has appreciated Karnataka’s methods for Covid-19 management, which includes comprehensive contact tracing of Covid-19 positive cases and physical or phone-based survey that has covered more than 1.5 crore households in the state.

Amid the frantic search for a vaccine for the coronavirus infection, contact tracing of patients continues to be a crucial tool to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, experts have suggested. The Union health ministry too has emphasized on the need for contact tracing of those who test positive for Covid-19, to ensure that the health infrastructure of the country is not overwhelmed.

Karnataka has one of the lowest coronavirus case counts in the country, compared to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which with over 50,000 cases is now at second spot and among the worst-hit states by the pandemic. (Image used for representation). (BIPLOV BHUYAN/HT PHOTO.)

The health ministry has advised state governments to adopt containment practices to suit local needs and pay attention to contacts of those who test Covid-19 positive, which would in turn help to curb the spread in their specific states.

What is Contact Tracing?

Contact tracing is the process of alerting unwitting people to the danger of infection so that they can take appropriate action. When someone tests positive for any disease, health workers interview that individual about the people they can remember interacting with over the previous few weeks. Those people are then warned about possible exposure and asked to get a test done. If they turn out to be infected, their contacts are also informed. It’s a public health technique that has been used for decades globally to contain tuberculosis and measles epidemics, as well as HIV/AIDS, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Closer home, the health ministry has appreciated Karnataka’s methods for Covid-19 management, which includes comprehensive contact tracing of Covid-19 positive cases and physical or phone-based survey that has covered more than 1.5 crore households in the state.

The Karnataka government has over a period of time effectively traced and tracked each positive case and their contacts, hence successfully containing the spread of the infectious disease, the Ministry said. Karnataka has one of the lowest coronavirus case counts in the country, compared to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which with over 50,000 cases is now at second spot and among the worst-hit states by the pandemic.

Karnataka has also widened the definition of ‘contact’ to include both high risk and low risk categories as defined by the Union health ministry.

In Maharashtra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asked district collectors to appoint a task force of expert doctors to curb Covid-19-related deaths, and warned against complacency in tracing patients and their contacts.

“After the easing of lockdown restrictions earlier this month, there has been an increase in the number of patients in some districts. Tracing patients and their contacts expeditiously is very important and the only solution. There should be no complacency in contact tracing,” the Maharashtra chief minister said.

Contact tracing and proper testing may go a long way in helping to curb the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in India. According to The Washington Post report, mitigation as a method uses just enough of both techniques to slow down the disease for some time, but not enough to eradicate it totally. Suppression, on the other hand involves a hike in testing capacity and aggressive contact tracing strong enough to interrupt the chain of transmission.

Suppression, if countries can follow it, is obviously the better choice to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the report.