“I Wanted to be Part of the Solution”: Motivations, Preparation, and Mental Health of COVID-19 Contact Tracers in the New York Metropolitan Area

Contact tracing is a method of controlling the spread of infectious disease and limiting transmission. The sudden and pressing need for COVID-19 contact tracers has emerged due to the growing spread of the pandemic. Twenty interviews were conducted with contact tracers from the New York metropolitan area. The data was analyzed using an inductive method involving constant comparison. The six major themes included: primary motivators, perception of role, challenges of contact tracing, strengths of contact tracing, and perceptions contacts under investigation, and perceptions of mental health. Understanding the experiences of COVID-19 contact tracers has helped to identify implications to recruit, train and retain them and ensure they are satisfied and productive members of the disease investigation workforce.