States Rethink Contact Tracing and Case Investigation Strategies as COVID-19 Cases Rise

This commentary explores states’ approaches to contact tracing during the pandemic.

Contact tracing is an essential strategy for curbing the spread of COVID-19. Faced with rapidly climbing caseloads, testing delays, and increases in community spread, states and localities have had to prioritize high-risk cases, utilize technology in new ways, and implement creative strategies to conduct case investigations, trace contacts of infected individuals, and perform follow-up.