How Germany Staffed Up Contact Tracing Teams To Contain Its Coronavirus Outbreak
Staff in over 400 call centers in Germany work around the clock to notify people if they've been exposed to a positive coronavirus case. The country aims to have one contact tracer per 4,000 people.
Germany, a country of over 83 million people, has flattened its coronavirus curve, dropping from a peak of more than 6,000 new cases a day to just around 600 now. One tool the country has relied on: contact tracing by telephone.
"Public Health Authority, Pankow," says an operator, answering her phone before the first ring is over and identifying the Berlin district where she works. "So," she confirms with the caller, "you've had contact with someone who's tested positive."
She asks for the name of the infected person, types it into her computer, and the caller's name
