Abstract
BackgroundSince the outbreak started in 2019, COVID-19 pandemic has a significant global impact. Due to the highly infective nature of SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 close contacts are at significant risk of contracting COVID-19. China’s experience in successfully controlling COVID-19 emphasized the importance of managing close contacts because this strategy helps to limit potential infection sources, prevent the unconscious spread of COVID-19 and thus control this pandemic. As a result, to understand and consider the management of close contacts may be beneficial to other countries. However, managing close contacts is challenging owing to the huge number of close contacts and a lack of appropriate management tools and literature references.MethodsA new system called the COVID-19 Close Contact Information Management System was developed. Here we introduced the design, use, improvement and achievements of this system.ResultsThis system was designed from the standpoint of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in charge of managing close contacts. Two main functions and eight modules/themes were ultimately formed after two development stages. The system introduces what information need to be collected in the close contact management. Since the system allows information flow across cities, the geographical distance and administrative regional boundaries are no longer obstacles for managing close contacts, which promotes the management of each close contact. Moreover, when this system is used in conjunction with other data tools, it provides data assistance for understanding the COVID-19 characteristics and formulating targeted COVID-19 control policies. To date, the system has been widely used in Guangdong Province for over 1 year and has recorded tens of thousands of pieces of data. There is sufficient practical experience to suggest that the system is capable of meeting the professional work requirements for close contact management.ConclusionsThis system provides a new way to manage close contacts and restrict the spread of COVID-19 by combining information technology with disease prevention and control strategies in the realm of public health. We hope that this system will serve as an example and guide for those anticipating similar work in other countries in response to current and future public health incidents.
Highlights
Since the outbreak started in 2019, COVID-19 pandemic has a significant global impact
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging contagious disease caused by a new coronavirus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]
This amazing achievement attributed to China’s successful COVID-19 response such as the implementation of strict lockdown, active case surveillance, rapid case diagnosis, effective close contact management to reduce the source of infection, the application of modern technology, increased government support to solve the shortage of healthcare workforce and medical supplies, and the development of vaccines to protect susceptible populations, which may serve as a guide for other countries in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Since the outbreak started in 2019, COVID-19 pandemic has a significant global impact. Even though mainland China has already reported 96,665 confirmed COVID-19 cases, most of cases have recovered with only 518 active cases as of October 21, 2021 [7] This amazing achievement attributed to China’s successful COVID-19 response such as the implementation of strict lockdown, active case surveillance, rapid case diagnosis, effective close contact management to reduce the source of infection, the application of modern technology, increased government support to solve the shortage of healthcare workforce and medical supplies, and the development of vaccines to protect susceptible populations, which may serve as a guide for other countries in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. To urgently construct a useful tool suitable for managing a huge number of close contacts during times in COVID19 pandemic is a challenging task [15]
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