The outbreak of the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), more commonly known as COVID-19, has had devastating impacts on countries across the globe.1
COVID-19 is believed to spread predominantly person-to-person. Particles of the virus, contained in the respiratory droplets produced when infected people sneeze, cough or even talk, can infect those in close contact with an infected person. COVID-19 seems to be spreading in an easy and sustainable manner, and as there are no vaccinations or known treatments for the virus social and public health means have become the main mechanisms for limiting the spread of the virus.2
Social distancing practices as well as isolating symptomatic individuals and using contact tracing to identify and quarantine their contacts are methods that have been employed in numerous countries.1 Contact tracing involves the use of trained individuals conversing with those identified as being infected in order to gain an accurate record of those they have come into contact with. The trained individuals then contact the exposed individuals to warn them of their exposure, encourage them to quarantine, provide them with the necessary information and support they may require, and monitor them for symptoms as much as possible.3
While contact tracing and isolation are key strategies to prevent disease transmission, there are problems with the process. Contact tracing hinges on the creation of an accurate contact record and the information provided by infected individuals may be incomplete or inaccurate. Contact tracing is time and labour- intensive requiring, a large number of trained individuals to carry out time consuming work. Contact tracing is unsustainable with trained workers often unable to monitor exposed contacts adequately due to their intense workload. Moreover, contact tracing runs the risk of infringing on people’s privacy as it requires personal information in order to work.4
In acknowledging the importance of contact tracing as well as the problems with the current process, we aim to address this issue through the creation of an innovative solution to assist in contact tracing efforts. The proposed device aims to address the issues of:
1) Incomplete and inaccurate records
2) Time and labour-intensive tracing methods
3) Unsustainable tracing methods
4) Privacy infringements
Through a unique combination of features and capabilities.
References
1. Kucharski AJ, Klepac P, Conlan AJ, Kissler SM, Tang ML, Fry H, et al. Effectiveness of isolation, testing, contact tracing and physical distancing on reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in different settings: a mathematical modelling study. The Lancet Infec Dis [Internet]. 2020 Jun [cited 2020 Jun 18]. Available from : https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30457-6/fulltext DOI: 10.1016/ S1473-3099(20)30457-6
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Protect yourself [Internet]. [updated 2020 Apr 24; cited 2012 Jun 18]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Principles of contact tracing [Internet]. [updated 2020 Apr 29; cited 2020 Jun 18]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/principles-contact-tracing.html
4. Baka A, De Angelis S, Duffel E, Keramarou M, Nerlander L, Robesyn E, et al. Contact tracing for COVID-19: current evidence, options for scale-up and an assessment of resources needed. European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; 2020. 9 p.