The value of manual backward contact tracing to control COVID-19 in practice, the Netherlands, February to March 2021:a pilot study

Background Contact tracing has been a key component of COVID-19 outbreak control. Backward contact tracing (BCT) aims to trace the source that infected the index case and, thereafter, the cases infected by the source. Modelling studies have suggested BCT will substantially reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission in addition to forward contact tracing.AimTo assess the feasibility and impact of adding BCT in practice. Methods We identified COVID-19 cases who were already registered in the electronic database between 19 February and 10 March 2021 for routine contact tracing at the Public Health Service (P... Mehr ...