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Detective, nurse, confidant: Virus tracers play many roles

Virus Outbreak Contact Tracing
Virus Outbreak Contact Tracing
Posted at 7:50 AM, May 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-21 07:53:15-04

SALT LAKE CITY - A growing number of health professionals around the world are filling an important role in the effort to guard against a resurgence of the coronavirus.

In the United States, some experts say an estimated 300,000 contact tracers are needed to adequately curtail the spread.

Contact tracing requires a hybrid job of interrogator, therapist and nurse as they coax nervous people to be honest.

The investigators focus on finding out who COVID-positive people have been near.

That helps determine who could be infected and need to be alerted.

The tracers stay in touch with some of the contacts throughout the 14-day incubation period.

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