The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across the country, requiring thousands of people to learn key skills quickly. The job qualifications for contact tracing positions differ throughout the country and the world, with some new positions open to individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.
COVID-19 Contact Tracing
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.9
(95,122 reviews)
Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
Approx. 6 hours
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course
What you'll learn
Describe the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, the presentation of COVID-19, and evidence for how it is transmitted.
Define an infectious contact and timeline for public health intervention through contact tracing.
Demonstrate the utility of case investigation and contact tracing, identify common barriers, and possible strategies to overcome them.
Present some ethical considerations around contact tracing, isolation and quarantine.
Details to know
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Assessments
28 assignments
Taught in English
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There are 6 modules in this course
In this first module, we'll dig into the science of COVID-19, including what we know about its origins, clinical signs and symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, transmission, and infectious period.
What's included
7 videos4 readings7 assignments
Now that you've learned about the basics of COVID-19, we'll turn our attention to some of the tools being used to stop the spread: contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. We'll also show you how what you've already learned about infection and transmission informs the use of these critical public health tools.
What's included
5 videos1 reading5 assignments1 plugin
In this module, we'll walk through the steps of the contact tracing process and provide examples. You'll also get to watch demonstrations of basic interactions with a case and and a contact.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments
In this module, you'll learn about the important ethical dimensions of contract tracing, including how we balance the protection of the public's health with limits on personal privacy and autonomy. We'll walk through some specific examples to prepare you for some of the issues contact tracers encounter during the course of their work.
What's included
6 videos6 assignments
Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful contact tracing interaction. That includes building rapport with cases and contacts, active listening, and asking the right kinds of questions. In this module, you'll watch and read several example interactions that demonstrate both how and how not to conduct yourself as a contact tracer.
What's included
11 videos7 assignments
What's included
2 readings1 assignment
Instructor
Instructor ratings
4.8 (44,029 ratings)
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
University of Florida
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4.9
95,122 reviews
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Showing 3 of 95122
RO
5
Reviewed on Nov 2, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this course. There were many concepts that were conveyed in a clear and concise manner and it helped me better understand the complexities of living with COVID-19 in our society.
IS
5
Reviewed on Aug 19, 2020
The professor gives a very clear description of the role contract tracers play. In addition, the example videos they provide with the within-lecture questions helped keep me active during the lecture.
NB
5
Reviewed on Aug 19, 2020
Well written, good examples, very good knowledge checks. Thank you to Dr. Gurley and her team for putting this together. Thank you Johns Hopkins University for making this course available worldwide!
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Frequently asked questions
This course provides information about the basics of COVID-19 and contact tracing and helps you develop some of the skills and background that you need. The course includes examples of contact tracing calls, as well as information about developing effective interviewing skills.
Visit https://www.coursera.org/promo/covid-19-contact-tracing to enroll in this course for free. The promotional price will be applied to your purchase automatically.
You will need to enroll via a web browser on either a computer or a mobile device and not via the Coursera mobile app to enroll for the course and certificate for free. Unfortunately, the promotional price is not redeemable through the mobile app.
No. If you join a contact tracing initiative in a state or local health department, you'll need additional training and ongoing support to learn the local processes and systems as well as other issues that may arise.