The Do’s and Don’ts of Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is a term new to all business owners, so there’s likely a lot of confusion surrounding what should and shouldn’t be done.
First off, contact tracing requirements differ depending on your health jurisdiction, so be sure to stay up to date by contacting them. In general however, there are some common ground rules for contact tracing.
- Store customer information in a place safe from the general public.
- Never using the data for non-contact tracing purposes and never selling the data to third parties.
- Destroying the data every 20-30 days, depending on the guidelines of your local health authority.
These rules should be strictly followed as the privacy of your customers is of the utmost importance. Back in February, a B.C. restaurant come under fire for misusing the information collected from contact tracing logs to send promotional offers. It was later discovered that many other restaurants had done similar things, which is against the privacy laws set out by the B.C. privacy commissioner.
Storing the information in a safe place and having it destroyed regularly is an important part of contact tracing. B.C.'s privacy commissioner has stated that it's best to store this information digitally as, “If it’s put on a computer database, then there’s proper passwords and it is protected”. Never leave contact tracing logs unattended and be sure to destroy the logs every 20-30 days, depending on health authority guidelines.
All uniquly identifiable customers data will be removed
While physical contact tracing logs may seem like the simplest solution, it’s also not the most secure one. Next In Line offers digital contact tracing logs stored on secure Canadian servers. They’re also set to be automatically deleted after a set amount of days so you don’t need to worry about privacy issues.
Benefits of contact tracing in the workplace
Now that you know what contact tracing is and how to do it, it's best to learn about how it can benefit both you and your community.
Reducing workplace transmissions
Based on a study conducted by Kretzschmar et al. efficient contact tracing measures can prevent up to 80% of potential cases. By keeping accurate contact tracing logs and working with your local health authority, you could be making a huge impact on your community's caseloads.
Assisting in local reopening plans
When the pandemic first began and lockdowns had shut down nearly all businesses, everybody was devastated. Implementing contact tracing measures is one of the key ways business owners can assist in the reopening of their communities.
Fostering a safe and healthy work environment
A workplace can sometimes be more than just a workplace to employees. By putting in the effort to show your employees that you care about their health, you’ll not only be making them feel safe at work, but also be gaining their respect and admiration. The same can be said for your customers, who will definitely recognize the effort that you are putting in to foster a safer business environment.
Limitations of contact tracing
While contact tracing is definitely a reliable way of slowing down COVID-19 transmissions, it does come with its fair share of limitations.
Efficiency & Effectiveness
In general, contact tracing is only as effective as the resources involved. For example, if the collected information is inaccurate, then this would reduce the success of contact tracing efforts. That’s why it's important to equip yourself with the best resources for contact tracing. You can download our contact tracing sheet template above for free. You can also sign up with Next In Line to get access to our digital contact tracing logs.
Caseload barriers
Contact tracing works best in areas with a low amount of reported cases. Higher case loads require a lot more effort to manage as more individuals need to be contacted in the event of an outbreak. There’s also the possibility of asymptomatic cases. These tend to be unpredictable and hard to account for in contact tracing measures.
All efforts matter
Nevertheless, the implementation of contact tracing measures at all is always beneficial. Remember that the goal is to help reduce the number of exposures between individuals. When given enough of a warning through contact tracing, infected individuals can self-isolate, reducing their exposure to others.
What to do when someone tests positive?
If someone at your business has or has been exposed to COVID-19, your local health authority will contact you. Be prepared to present your contact tracing logs to assist in contacting exposed individuals. They may also ask you to notify the exposure to any exposed customers. This will likely be your first time making this sort of announcement so here are some helpful tips on how to make the process easier.
Stay calm and stay professional
If someone at your business has or has been exposed to COVID-19, your local health authority will contact you. Be prepared to present your contact tracing logs to assist in contacting exposed individuals. They may also ask you to notify the exposure to any exposed customers. This will likely be your first time making this sort of announcement so here are some helpful tips on how to make the process easier.
Be a strong speaker, be an even stronger listener
Keep in mind that the people you are calling are your customers, so it is important to treat them with respect and make them feel heard. Validate their feelings and express empathy when hearing their concerns. If anything comes up that you are unsure about it, be prepared to direct them to the right resources.
Provide helpful resources
Each state/province comes with its own set of health regulations so get to know the general guidelines. In the event that you are asked something you're unsure of, direct them to your health authority's website. Never provide unqualified advice to your customers.
End each call by making sure that each person understands their situation and are equipped with the right resources to contact. The contact tracing process may be hard so be sure to take frequent breaks yourself so as to not burn out.
Contact Tracing Refresher
Contact tracing is a way for people to identify, inform and track those who may have been exposed to COVID-19. By contacting those who exposed and warning them, you can help diminish the spread of the virus.
There are many ways business owners can begin contact tracing processes. Contact tracing apps or contact tracing sheet templates are often used. Restaurants, for example, can keep a contact tracing sheet at the entrance and prompt customers to fill out the sheet with their contact information before dining in. If you’re looking for a contact tracing sheet template for your business, you can download one below for free.
Before you start any contact tracing procedures, you should make sure that your actions are compliant with your local health authority's laws. Since contact tracing laws vary depending on where your business is it’s best if you did some of your own research on what is and isn’t allowed. In general, you should be wary of the following things:
- Securely storing customer information in a place inaccessible to the general public
- Never using the data for non-contact tracing purposes and never selling the data to third parties.
- Destroying the data every 20-30 days, depending on the guidelines of your local health authority.
Now if any of this seems too overwhelming to do with just a paper contact tracing sheet template, then I’ve got some news for you. With the
Next In Line waitlist app, contact tracing has never been easier.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this contact tracing primer will help you in running your business in these unprecedented times. Keep in mind that for the most recent news on COVID-19 guidelines, you should always refer to your local health authority.
While contact tracing may seem daunting at first, it all becomes easier with some time, and the right help. Next In Line is the easiest waitlist management solution out there and we want to help you get a head start on keeping your community happy and healthy.
Whether you’re set on a physical contact tracing log or are deciding on upgrading to our software, getting started on contact tracing is an amazing first step. You can download our contact tracing log template and sign up for Next In Line below.