In today’s interconnected world, infectious diseases can spread rapidly, threatening lives and livelihoods. Contact tracing has long been considered a fundamental strategy to contain and control disease outbreaks, used effectively for diseases such as tuberculosis and Ebola virus disease. While it is a complex intervention that must be sensitive to subtleties and nuances, contact tracing may minimize the outbreak size and reduce the loss of human life and economic impact. In addition to responding to the characteristics of different diseases, contact tracing must be designed and developed to meet contextual, local and cultural needs, conditions, and sensitivities, as well as the capacities and limitations of the local workforce.
The absence of a comprehensive global contact tracing strategy, guidelines and standard operating procedures was stressed during a consultation organized by the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) in June 2020. Although many resources exist for vertical programme disease management, outbreak containment and response, none address the overall rationale of contact tracing and optimal strategies, nor give proper attention to the truly multisectoral nature of this public health intervention.
To address this need, WHO has developed an evidence-based disease-agnostic contact tracing guideline.
This practical guideline establishes definitions for “contact”, “contact person”, “contact tracing” and other associated concepts. It allows for improvement of contact tracing strategies and provides recommendations attempting to answer some, though not all, questions that arose during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic and other outbreaks. The use of this guideline begins once people have been diagnosed and the potential for transmission exists. It is not, however, intended to assist with case investigation.
The guideline empowers health workers, governments and public health officials with the tools to implement effective contact tracing strategies.
WHO expresses gratitude to the many contributors for their time and support in developing this document.