COVID-19 Contact Tracing

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Emily Gurley, PhD, MPH

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COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Johns Hopkins University

About this Course

1,856,201 recent views

The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across the country, requiring thousands of people to learn key skills quickly. The job qualifications for contact tracing positions differ throughout the country and the world, with some new positions open to individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent. 
In this introductory course, students will learn about the science of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, the clinical presentation of COVID-19, and the evidence for how SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted from person-to-person and why contact tracing can be such an effective public health intervention. Students will learn about how contact tracing is done, including how to build rapport with cases, identify their contacts, and support both cases and their contacts to stop transmission in their communities. The course will also cover several important ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. Finally, the course will identify some of the most common barriers to contact tracing efforts -- along with strategies to overcome them.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Nepali

What you will learn

Describe the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, the presentation of COVID-19, and evidence for how it is transmitted.

Define an infectious contact and timeline for public health intervention through contact tracing.

Demonstrate the utility of case investigation and contact tracing, identify common barriers, and possible strategies to overcome them.

Present some ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.

Skills you will gain

EthicsActive ListeningPublic HealthContact TracingEpidemiology

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 7 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Nepali

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.84/5 (37,489 Ratings)

Emily Gurley, PhD, MPH

Associate Scientist

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

1,318,056 Learners

6 Courses

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(365,076 ratings)

Week

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Basics of COVID-19

In this first module, we'll dig into the science of COVID-19, including what we know about its origins, clinical signs and symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, transmission, and infectious period.

1 hour to complete

7 videos (Total 51 min), 3 readings, 7 quizzes

7 videos

SARS-CoV-2 Virus4m

Natural History of SARS-CoV-215m

Risk Factors for Severe Disease5m

Diagnosing COVID-195m

Transmission of SARS-CoV-28m

Why Stopping Transmission is So Important9m

Summary of COVID-192m

3 readings

Course Resources and Technical Support1m

Glossary of terms1m

Assignments1m

7 practice exercises

SARS-CoV-2 virus (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Natural history of SARS-CoV-2 (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)2m

Risk factors for severe disease (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Diagnosing COVID-19 (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (Unlimited Attempts Permitted) 1m

Why Stopping Transmission is So Important (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Provide Your Feedback on this Module (Required)1m

1 hour to complete

Basics of Contact Tracing for COVID-19

Now that you've learned about the basics of COVID-19, we'll turn our attention to some of the tools being used to stop the spread: contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. We'll also show you how what you've already learned about infection and transmission informs the use of these critical public health tools.

1 hour to complete

5 videos (Total 35 min), 1 reading, 5 quizzes

5 videos

Contact Tracing for COVID-19 Prevention6m

Defining Case, Contact, Isolation, and Quarantine6m

Calculating Isolation and Quarantine Duration7m

Identifying High-Risk Situations13m

Summary1m

1 reading

CDC Guidance and the COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Calculator10m

5 practice exercises

Contact Tracing for COVID-19 Prevention (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Defining Case, Contact, Isolation and Quarantine (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Calculating Isolation and Quarantine Duration (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)3m

Identifying High-Risk Situations (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Provide Your Feedback on this Module (Required)1m

1 hour to complete

Steps to Investigate Cases and Trace Their Contacts

In this module, we'll walk through the steps of the contact tracing process and provide examples. You'll also get to watch demonstrations of basic interactions with a case and and a contact.

1 hour to complete

3 videos (Total 45 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

1 hour to complete

Ethics of Contact Tracing and Technological Tools

In this module, you'll learn about the important ethical dimensions of contract tracing, including how we balance the protection of the public's health with limits on personal privacy and autonomy. We'll walk through some specific examples to prepare you for some of the issues contact tracers encounter during the course of their work.

1 hour to complete

6 videos (Total 42 min)

6 videos

Contact Tracing as a Common Public Health Tool2m

Defining Privacy, Confidentiality, and Other Terms about Ethics7m

Balancing Public Good with Privacy, Autonomy, and Confidentiality10m

Rationale for Using Technology for Contact Tracing2m

Examples of Technology Used for Each Step17m

Summary1m

6 practice exercises

Contact Tracing as a Common Public Health Tool (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Defining Privacy, Confidentiality, and Other Terms about Ethics (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Balancing Public Good with Privacy, Autonomy, and Confidentiality (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Rationale for Using Technology for Contact Tracing (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Examples of Technology Used for Each Step (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Provide Your Feedback on this Module (Required)1m

1 hour to complete

Skills for Effective Communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful contact tracing interaction. That includes building rapport with cases and contacts, active listening, and asking the right kinds of questions. In this module, you'll watch and read several example interactions that demonstrate both how and how not to conduct yourself as a contact tracer.

1 hour to complete

11 videos (Total 78 min)

11 videos

The Importance of Rapport3m

Tips for Effective Communication11m

Question Types and When to Use Them8m

Active Listening: Helping People Feel Heard7m

Bringing It All Together into One Communication Framework7m

Common Issues and Tips5m

Embracing Complexity2m

Addressing Process Complexities16m

Addressing People Complexities7m

Addressing Context Complexities3m

Summary2m

7 practice exercises

The Importance of Rapport (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Tips for Effective Communication (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Question Types and When to Use Them (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Active Listening: Helping People Feel Heard (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Bringing It All Together into One Communication Framework (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Common Issues and Tips (Unlimited Attempts Permitted)1m

Provide Your Feedback on this Module (Required)1m

1 hour to complete

Final Assessment (Graded)

1 hour to complete

2 readings

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TOP REVIEWS FROM COVID-19 CONTACT TRACING

by ESNov 10, 2020

These Modules are very clear and easy to understand. I appreciate all the things I learned from these. Keep up the great work and let us work together to continue to fight against Covid-19. Thank you.

by MSMay 21, 2020

Thank you for this very informative course. I learnt a lot regarding contact tracing, and I am sure I will be able to use this information to help volunteering for COVID-19 Contact Tracing in my city.

by ABJun 7, 2020

This was a great course regarding contact tracing. Very efficient and very easy to follow along. The course was filled with great information and I’m excited to use the skills I learned in the future.

by JRJun 11, 2020

Excellent Course ! Very thorough and presented in an interesting delivery of educational information. Thank you to Dr. Emily S. Gurley for this outstanding contribution to keeping our society healthy!

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
What does this course cover?
This course provides information about the basics of COVID-19 and contact tracing and helps you develop some of the skills and background that you need. The course includes examples of contact tracing calls, as well as information about developing effective interviewing skills.
How can I enroll for free?
Visit https://www.coursera.org/promo/covid-19-contact-tracing to enroll in this course for free. The promotional price will be applied to your purchase automatically.
You will need to enroll via a web browser on either a computer or a mobile device and not via the Coursera mobile app to enroll for the course and certificate for free. Unfortunately, the promotional price is not redeemable through the mobile app.
Is this course all the training that a contact tracer will need?
No. If you join a contact tracing initiative in a state or local health department, you'll need additional training and ongoing support to learn the local processes and systems as well as other issues that may arise.
How do I apply to become a Contact Tracer?
Different cities, counties, states, and countries have different plans and processes for hiring contact tracers. Please consult your public health department to learn about its requirements.
For example, information for New York State can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/GetInvolved. Note that the New York State Contact Tracing Initiative wants people to apply for a position first before taking the course.
How quickly do I need to complete the course to be hired as a contact tracer?
If you have already applied to be part of a contact tracing initiative and have been directed to this course for training, please consult the information you've received directly from that initiative for information about expectations on timing.
Can I do contact tracing on my own once I pass this course?
No, contact tracing should only be performed as part of a coordinated initiative led by the appropriate public health authorities.
Is this course a good place to get medical advice?
No, this course is not a source of personal medical advice. Please contact your doctor or local healthcare provider if you have questions about your specific symptoms or circumstances.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing

COVID-19 Contact Tracing