Michael Bloomberg Partners with Johns Hopkins to Develop Contact-Tracing Program

May 15, 2020 in News by RBN Staff

 

Source: Need To Know | NJ Spotlight and CBS

 

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged $10 million to launch a COVID-19 contact-tracing “army” of 35,000 medical students to help contain the virus. Bloomberg’s project is in partnership with Johns Hopkins University. The campaign covers New York state, New Jersey and Connecticut.Dr. Kelly Henning, the epidemiologist at Bloomberg Philanthropies who heads the project, said that the only way to reopen safely is with an unprecedented effort to interview the people who get the virus, track down every single person they come in contact with, and get them to quarantine for 14 days.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Wednesday announced he would pony up $10 million to launch a COVID-19 contact-tracing army of 35,000 medical students to help contain the virus. The effort would be designed and executed in partnership with Johns Hopkins University and would include a campaign that would cover New York state, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Details of the program are still being worked out. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University will build an online curriculum and training program for contact tracers, who would include state health employees and SUNY and CUNY medical students.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy at his daily press briefing yesterday made a vague mention of an agreement among the three states but did not explain how New Jersey would participate.

“This contract-tracing program is in its very early stages. I do not have additional information at this time other than what is the press release from Gov. Cuomo,” a spokeswoman from Murphy’s office said.

Contact tracing is a critical element in the strategy to reopen the economy. In addition to stepped up testing, the goal is to quickly investigate each person who tests positive to determine who else may be infected. Public health experts say rapidly isolating these people will be the key to returning to normal life. Several countries, such as Germany, Singapore and South Korea, have used contact tracing effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Additional source:

Coronavirus Versus Michael Bloomberg: Former Mayor Funding Massive Contact Tracing Push