Student success center | photo by Qusai Takuri | The Wright State Guardian
Local public health departments instate new COVID-19 contact tracing guidance while Wright State University (WSU) remains unclear in their tracing program.
New guidance
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued new COVID guidelines regarding cNontract tracing in late January.
The guidance advises local health departments to discontinue universal contact tracing and adapt an outbreak model.
“The Ohio Department of Health recommends that local health departments shift from universal contact tracing, case investigation and exposure notification to a cluster or outbreak-based model,” the memo states. “This strategy prioritizes people in high-risk settings.”
Outbreak-based contract tracing extends to schools, universities, businesses and large residential communities according to Samantha Webb, a public health nurse at Greene County Public Health.
Science of contact tracing
Contract tracing is used to help slow the spread of COVID by informing people who come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus. There are two models of tracing, universal contact tracing and an outbreak-based model.
According to Webb, universal contract tracing, used since the beginning of the pandemic, is a method of contact tracing where all parties who were exposed to COVID are contacted. Outbreak-based tracing focuses on group settings.
If someone in a group contracts COVID, only those in that group and those close to that person would be notified of the exposure in an outbreak-based model.
The outbreak-based model is more effective with the Omicron variant as the variant spreads quicker.
“With Omicron, its clinical course is so short the changes make sense,” Webb said. “ It (universal contact tracing) was not having the impact it is supposed to have.”
Wright State’s program
WSU has its own contract tracing program, managed by the COVID task force and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).
According to Chris Taylor, dean of students, if a student, staff, or faculty member tests positive, they can fill out a form that will then alert Environmental Health and Safety and Student Advocacy and Wellness.
Student Advocacy handles any classroom contract tracing and assists students in finding medical resources.
According to Taylor, WSU’s contract tracing program has not changed since fall 2021 and there will be no increases in staffing the program despite the Omicron variant.
It is uncertain what contact tracing model the university uses. It is also unknown if the university will follow the new ODH guidance.
EHS was unable to be reached for this article.
