Lesson 2 Flashcards
Define PUI
As we covered in the previous lesson, a person under investigation (PUI), is a person who has COVID-19 and whose past exposure to the virus is being investigated, or a person who was investigated but tested negative for the virus. The PUI is sometimes also referred to as the “index case.”
Define Contact
A contact is anyone who came in “close contact” with the PUI. This might include:
People who shared a close environment with a PUI, such as the workplace, classroom, household, or place of worship.
People who traveled with a PUI in a vehicle (any type) and were in close proximity to the PUI during that travel.
Healthcare workers who provided in-person care to the PUI without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
What does “Close Contact” mean?
What does “close contact” mean?
Based on what we know now, a close contact is someone who was within six feet of PUI for at least 15 minutes during that PUI’s infectious period (48 hours before illness started until the time the PUI is isolated). Jurisdictions may refine this operational definition as needed.
Close contacts should stay home, maintain social distancing, and stay alert for symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough or shortness of breath) for 14 days after the last date of exposure.
Define “Contact Tracing”
Contact tracing is the process of identifying, assessing, and managing people, or “contacts,” who have been exposed to a disease to prevent additional transmission. The objectives for COVID-19 contact tracing are to:
Identify and notify individuals who might have come in contact with a PUI.
Identify to what extent the contact has been exposed to the PUI.
Establish if the contact is at risk of getting the virus themselves.
Provide the contact with appropriate guidance. This may include counseling them on how to prevent further spread of COVID-19, and linking or referring them to medical care and other prevention services
What is the goal of contact tracing?
Ultimately, the goal of contact tracing is to limit community transmission of COVID-19 by finding linkages between cases and working to prevent further spread. In this work, you will engage with several groups in accomplishing that mission
What are the goals of working with PUIs?
Maximize connections to support services, medical care (if appropriate), and counseling on ways to protect PUIs and others from COVID-19.
Collect additional data to ensure a complete case report, such as age, race, complete address, and other medical conditions that may put the PUI at increased risk for developing complications from COVID-19.
Ensure contacts are informed of their exposure to COVID-19 while maintaining the confidentiality of the PUI.
What are the goals of working with contacts?
Track and notify as many contacts as possible about their potential exposure to COVID-19.
Link contacts as soon as possible to testing and medical care (as appropriate and available), support services, and counseling on ways to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.
Explain the need to follow quarantine instructions, monitor for symptoms, and contact the health department immediately if they develop symptoms for COVID-19.
What are the goals of working with the community?
Build trust and link communities to the resources they need to stay healthy.
Improve general population awareness of the virus and how to stay safe.
Reduce future rates of COVID-19 transmission by aiding in early diagnosis and offering services that help stop the spread of infection.
“People-Centered” as it relates to contact tracing?
All steps of the contact tracing process should be “tailored to behaviors, circumstances, and specific needs of people in the community,” including PUIs and their contacts. This also means that you should consider and be sensitive to their culture, language, and other characteristics
“Confidential” as it relates to contact tracing
Confidentiality is critical to the success of contact tracing.
Confidentiality applies to data collected as part of the contact tracing process.
When notifying contacts of exposure, never reveal the identity of the PUI and never share information about contacts back to the PUI.
Real or perceived breaches of confidentiality can undermine individual privacy and community trust in and access to important public health programs and services.
What is the cost of contact tracing?
Contact tracing is free of charge for people with COVID-19 and their contacts.
Accessible and available as it relates to contact tracing
Contact tracing should be accessible and available in all communities to address COVID-19.
Your agency may have guidelines on how to prioritize individual cases for follow-up. For example, contact tracing may be prioritized in settings where infection can spread quickly, or the people exposed have a higher risk for severe illness.
Examples of prioritized settings:
Healthcare facilities Group or boarding homes Homeless shelters Correctional facilities Crowded homes with people of many different ages and generations
When can a local or state health agency share and use health information?
- Protect the health of the public or individual
Investigate and conduct other actions to stop the spread of diseases
What is HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
This rule protects the privacy of patients’ protected health information
What are “HIPAA covered entities?”
A state or local health department that is allowed to share health information to prevent or control the spread of disease
