Washington state to implement ‘rapid-response’ contact tracing workforce in May | TheHill

Washington state will implement a rapid-response contract tracing workforce next month as part of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeFacebook faces new challenge with coronavirus protesters OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Oil trades at lowest price in history after slipping into negative pricing | Democratic Deepwater Horizon anniversary report criticizes administration’s offshore drilling policies | Biden floats expansion of climate platform Here’s when all 50 states plan to reopen after coronavirus restrictions MORE (D) said Tuesday. 

“We expect roughly 1,500 workers focused solely on contact tracing by the second week of May,” Inslee said in a televised speech Tuesday, according to NPR. “This workforce will be rapid-response, something like a fire brigade.”

There are about 700 contact tracers available now who are state and local health employees, but more will be hired and the state will draw 500 additional tracers from the National Guard, NPR reports. 

Washington was one of the first states in the U.S. to be hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. 

Washington reported 12,494 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 692 deaths due to the disease as of Wednesday. 

Public health experts have said contact tracers, trained workers who can get in touch with infected patients and find out who else they may have been in contact with, are critical step needed to prevent another surge in COVID-19 infections as officials weigh lifting social distancing restrictions to open state economies. 

“We’re now needing to scale up contact tracing,” former CDC director Tom Frieden told NPR. “Ten or one hundred-fold more. It needs to be extremely proactive and complete.”

California Gov. Gavin NewsomGavin Christopher NewsomCalifornia reports highest one-day rise in coronavirus cases New Biden ad hits Trump for feuding with governors over coronavirus Here’s when all 50 states plan to reopen after coronavirus restrictions MORE (D) said Wednesday the state is planning to train up 10,000 contact tracers.

Last week Newsom said increased testing and contact tracing was one of six indicators that would drive the state’s decision to gradually modify portions of the stay-at-home-order.