WHO COVID-19 Contact Tracing Guideline Development Group (CT-GDG)

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Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network
Please find below communication to the GOARN network, partners and stakeholders in contact tracing activities seeking expression of interest to support the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Guideline Development Group (CT-GDG) . The CT/GDG will review, update and consolidate the existing WHO Contact tracing in the context of COVID-19: interim guidance and the Considerations for quarantine of contacts of COVID-19 cases: interim guidance based on latest available evidence and experience.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Guidance Development Group (CT-GDG)
Terms of Reference
1. Background

The WHO Contact Tracing Interim Guidance was last revised in February 2021. Since then, there have been major developments in COVID-19 epidemiology associated with variants of concern such as the Delta variant, which makes contact tracing and quarantine measures very challenging due to reportedly short exposure and incubation periods, and higher transmissibility (high viral load). Global COVID-19 vaccination uptake is another development that has implications in terms of priority-driven quarantine and contact tracing regimens (high-risk versus low-risk groups based on their vaccination status). With these developments, the need to review the current guidance to ensure it remains fit for its purpose has become of paramount importance. The plan is to consolidate two interim guidance documents (contact tracing and quarantine) into one due to their close relationship. The revised guidance will reflect the best available evidence and experience to support appropriate contact tracing and quarantine practice in the context of the above.

In accordance with WHO policy, new or revised guidance for COVID-19 follows standard procedures for development of WHO guidance, including the involvement of an external Guideline Development Group.
2. Objectives of CT-GDG

The main objective of the CT-GDG is to provide expert advice and contributions for the review and update of existing WHO Contact Tracing Guidance through the following process:

* Evaluation and critical interpretation of the available evidence related to the transmission dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the rationale for changes in the contents of the existing guidance including, but not limited to, definition of contacts, period of exposure, incubation period, transmission risks based on vaccination status as outlined in the relevant technical questions (to be supplied). Where relevant, the CT-GDG* will facilitate additional evidence collection, evaluating operational research and evidence around adherence and barriers to complying with contact tracing and quarantine, or seek to clarify evidence collected by parties external to the GDG.

* Contribution to technical discussions and consensus building for the revision of the current WHO Contact Tracing Interim Guidance taking into account such matters as resource implications, values and preferences, ethics, and research gaps.
* Critical review of the revised draft guidance document and other associated technical resources.

3. Indicative time commitment for the CT-GDG members

We estimate that this will require 6-8 hours over the course of the revision of the document, which is expected to take approximately two months.

4. Members of CT-GDG

We are reaching out to GOARN partners, networks and stakeholders for expressions of interest to support this activity. We are particularly interested in relevant multidisciplinary technical expertise related to all aspects of contact tracing experience, including policy level, those working directly on contact tracing operations, and affected communities.

Membership of the CT-GDG will include diversity of gender and geographic representation. Members of the CT-GDG participate in the guideline development process and at virtual meetings as public health experts and not as representatives of the institutions or organizations with which they are affiliated.

The role in the CT-GDG is to:

* provide input into the scope of the guideline;
* assist the Guideline Working Group in developing the key questions in PICO format;
* choose and rank priority outcomes that will guide the evidence reviews and focus the recommendations;
* examine the quality of evidence used to inform the recommendations and provide input;
* formulate recommendations taking into account benefits, harms, values and preferences, feasibility, equity, acceptability, resource requirements and other factors, as appropriate;
* review and approve the final guideline document before submission to the Guideline Review Committee.
* Each participating member must submit relevant WHO disclosure forms including the Disclosure of Conflict of Interest Form and the Confidentiality Undertaken Form.
* The CT-GDG will be co-chaired by two individuals to be selected on consensus basis from within the CT-GDG. The co-chairs will have equal responsibilities and complementary expertise and perspectives. To ensure a good balance in the leadership of the CT-GDG, one of the co-chairs will be content expert while the other will be a guideline methodologist. The WHO CT Team will serve as a secretariat to assist the CT-GDG.
* Each participating member is expected to attend meetings as regularly as possible, read and synthesize presented material, and be an active contributor within their areas of expertise.
* Members must be committed to keep confidential the content of evidence reviews, draft version of documents, communications, and meeting notes or records.

5. Methods of working and accountability

* The CT-GDG activities are facilitated by use of Video/Teleconference platform and/or email communications.
* Names of participants and respective organizations can be made publicly available according to the needs and the progress of response to COVID-19 outbreak as determined by WHO. Respective Organizations, Institutions, or Ministries of Health of the CT Experts are not binding to endorse the guidance and recommendations provided by the CT-GDG members as the members act in their personal capacity.
* This is a voluntary panel; participation in this panel must not be considered as an employment with WHO in any case.
* WHO retains the final authority in determining the level of incorporation of the results of discussions or individual or group (CT-GDG) inputs into public guidance and/or associated recommendations.

6. Recognition of CT-GDG contributions

The contributions of the CT-GDG will be recognized in the publication of relevant WHO documents.

We encourage expressions of interest to serve in the CT-GDG, please submit your expression of interest to Noore Alam kalam@who.int with copy to goarn@who.int by Thursday, 30 September 2021, 1800 (Geneva time).

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Noore directly.

Best wishes,
GOARN Operational Support Team

________________________________
*References to GDG also refer to an individual member of the GDG.

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