Nature Communications (Sep 2021)

Contact tracing is an imperfect tool for controlling COVID-19 transmission and relies on population adherence

  • Emma L. Davis,
  • Tim C. D. Lucas,
  • Anna Borlase,
  • Timothy M. Pollington,
  • Sam Abbott,
  • Diepreye Ayabina,
  • Thomas Crellen,
  • Joel Hellewell,
  • Li Pi,
  • CMMID COVID-19 Working Group,
  • Graham F. Medley,
  • T. Déirdre Hollingsworth,
  • Petra Klepac

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25531-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Evaluations of the UK’s contact tracing programme have shown that it has had limited impact on COVID-19 control. Here, the authors show that with high levels of reporting and adherence, contact tracing could reduce transmission, but it should not be used as the sole control measure.