Given the unprecedented nature of the scale and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Irish health system has required the redeployment of public sector staff and the assistance of volunteers in the efforts to contain the spread of the virus through contact tracing. Contact tracing is crucial for effective disease control. These volunteers play a key role in helping to contain the outbreak, operating without significant experience in healthcare, with only basic training, and in a dynamic environment where processes and advice are continuously adapting in light of emerging evidence. In this context, real-time data become essential for informing strategy, coordinating interconnected processes, troubleshooting problems and responding to identified needs. Given contact tracers are inexperienced in their roles, they may experience difficulties in managing the anxieties and emotional distress of members of the public. There is considerable potential to harness the experience of contact tracers in the pivotal role they play to (i) identify needs and issues as they emerge and feed this information back to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for immediate impact and implementation of changes/updates and (ii) to understand the emotional impact of this work on volunteers. To address these objectives, we will use a mixed-methods approach (observations, interviews and survey) to provide a rich understanding of the experiences of volunteer contact tracers during the COVID-19 outbreak. A key objective of this research is to offer regular briefs to the HSE with data, analysis and data-driven recommendations to inform and support their work. We will deliver regular feedback on: systems issues and challenges experienced by contact tracers in the course of their work; frequently asked questions received by contract tracers; key concerns expressed by positive cases and their contacts; and the self-reported well-being of volunteers.
