University of California at San Francisco will partner with UCLA and the California Department of Public Health to train thousands of residents across the state in public health techniques like contact tracing and case investigation to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The two universities will work with local health departments across the state’s 58 counties to run a 20-hour virtual and in-person academy to develop an army of coronavirus contact tracers who will have the skills to trace the local spread of coronavirus cases.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the partnership Monday, saying that the effort is an extension of longstanding tracing efforts for other ailments like sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and HIV and AIDS.
The state’s 58 counties and three cities with their own health departments have roughly 3,000 contact tracers already in the field, according to Newsom. The goal of the partnership is to prepare some 20,000 new tracers across the state, including about 3,000 per week by the first week of July.
“Testing is the backbone,” Newsom said of the state’s coronavirus response, “but the tracing component requires a workforce, requires an element of coordination and collaboration. Building on the existing county supports and building capacity through this virtual academy will, I think, substantially help aid our efforts.”
UCSF and UCLA are launching the program with an $8.7 million state contract and will base the academy on UCSF’s workforce training program that the university developed with the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
That program involved UCSF training city librarians, assessors, attorneys, retired public health professionals and UCSF medical students to be “disease detectives,” as Newsom called them.
Since that localized program began three weeks ago, UCSF has already trained 240 tracers and 110 are already working in the field.
“Rapid and efficient contact tracing, along with sophisticated epidemic surveillance and widespread testing, are key parts of the public health strategy we must have in place before we can safely allow more businesses to reopen,” said UCSF epidemiology professor and the partnership’s chief investigator Dr. George Rutherford.
Trainees in the academy, who state officials have already identified, will complete videos and tests in addition to live sessions with trainers. The trainees will also have the opportunity to listen to an expert calling a contact in real time before making tracing calls themselves.
No thanks
UCSF is a fantastic institution. This COVID-19 problem has really brought them to the forefront.
All the experts are sharing their expertise. This is very important. Hopefully people will see a change.
I guess we all know why the CDC posted job openings back in November for “Quarantine Advisors”.
Stop being Coincidence Theorists.
BTW, they have already coined the term “Anti-Apper” for anyone who refuses to give up Liberty.
Just great-we’re going to make detectives out of citizens to do tracing.Sounds
Orwellian to me.
Worked out well in Germany
Oh my friend – Orwell is already here and has been collecting all of our data for a long time.
Between the government (NSA, etc.), private companies (including Palantir) there is very little they know about us and with Big Data and the ability to connect information gave that up a long time ago.
Yes, I know that you are living off the grid, have no computer, no cell phone, if you do you use VPN’s every time you access information, you use only cash and have no electricity, car, or anything else.
But for the 99+% of American’s, I bet that with the data they gather from all of their inputs this tracing is likely just a piece to make people think that this is something they don’t already have .
Contact tracing has been around since at least the 1950s in some form or fashion. It has been instrumental in managing past epidemics like polio, the measles and HIV. We didn’t have issues with privacy then. I don’t foresee an issue with rights or privacy now. HIPPA is in place to maintain privacy.
And there they are. The 2 defenders that will always tow the line. Just because “they are already here” or “has been around since the 1950s” nobody should question it because..COVID? Give me a break. You boys just don’t get how this thing works. Its ok there’s a breeze blowing, soon to be a wind, possibly a storm
@sam – has it impacted your civil liberties in the last 70 years? It’s never impacted mine… and I tested positive for an infection that required notice to county health officials. My privacy was never compromised. If it hasn’t been a problem in the past, dont worry about it now.
That’s not how things work. Just because it hasn’t impacted you is not an excuse to not stay informed and “not worry about it”. Has history taught you nothing? Or are you attempting to trick people into not thinking for themselves? Think I know
@ sam – what historical event related to contact tracing in America leaves you so concerned?
Way to pigeon hole the context of your question to remain factually accurate while at the same time using America’s greatness to promote your argument. Your logic is misleading and best. I know the gen pop can be sheepish, but it’s insulting to people who see what your doing
Are they going to use contact tracing when the flu season begins? That’s a possible killer virus too.
Look into what Israel is doing. That will scare the crap out of you
@ Ilovepopcorn…
A change in what exactly????
Sure! Why not? We’re already required to cover our faces. The next logical step is to become a faceless data point which will be arbitrarily interpreted, in order to make policy that we’ll have no say in.
And as the scientist/Bill Gates henchman says…-We can’t safely open businesses until widespread surveillance is in place.-
Sounds like blackmail to me.
The scientists? How could we have survived without them? Without their sage advice and their models and the quarantines, we’d all be dead, right? No way to know for sure though. Its not like we have a control group. For example a place where the “virus” was just allowed to run its course.
And btw- Personal data is the largest growing commodity in the world. It is not only being used to sell, but it is now being used to rule.
Don’t give these creeps anything.
It’s too late for contact tracing……..far too many have been exposed at this time. This should have been done back in March.
108RS
Just remember your right to remain silent…and use it.
That program involved UCSF training city librarian, assesors, attorneys, retired public health professionals and UCSF medical students to be “disease detectives,” as Newsom called them.
This is a paid position 17 to $22 an hour. Why are librarians, assessors and attorneys being trained?
Maybe the librarians can compile a list of anyone who has checked out books like “The Road to Serfdom” so Newsom and the state government can keep an eye on them.
Because Newsolini knows the sheep never question anything.
You are correct Jeff, it is way to late for contact tracing. Just a waste of money.
EFF. THAT.
Guess they innocently forgot to mention the whole “quarantine you elsewhere” if you’re living in a residence that has more people than bathrooms. Sad but not surprising how many of you have zero issues with the usurpation of your, OUR, civil liberties…nothing but a bunch of frightened Karen sheep, like the morons at a Chicago CBS affiliate hysterical because a kindly old ice cream truck driver doesn’t have a mask or gloves and URGING people to call m-effin 911, yes EMERGENCY 9-1-1, if this merchant of death is spotted again.