INTERVIEW SCRIPTS FOR CONTACTS
For Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Contact Tracing
Below is an outline of the steps and information to cover in an interview with a someone believed to
have been in contact with someone with COVID-19.
Prepare for the interview
Contact Information – prepare for the interview
• Contact’s name and date of birth
• Symptom information, including date of onset
• Contact’s last exposure to the PUI
Part 1: Introduction
Interviewer Information – introduce yourself, verify identity, and purpose for call
Sample Script – Hello, my name is [insert name] and I’m calling from [insert agency]. I am calling
today because we are closely monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by the new
coronavirus (called COVID-19). We have identified you as potentially having recent close contact
with a person sick with COVID-19. Can you first please confirm the following information?
[Confirm name matches] Thank you. Can you please assist in providing some additional
information so that we may understand your risk and potentially enroll you in public health
monitoring?
Part 2: Information Gathering and Listening
Contact’s Information
• Name and contact information
• Date of birth
• Demographic information, i.e. race, ethnicity, and sex
Medical Information
• Confirm the person’s exposure
• Ask about the person’s symptoms and past medical history
• Calculate the monitoring period based on the information collected
Part 3: Advice and Instructions
Monitoring and Follow-Up
• Provide the proper guidance for the person based on the information provided to you.
Sample Script If Contact Has No Symptoms – Thank you for providing this information. We have
identified that you are at a higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19. Therefore, we ask you to
please stay at home and monitor your symptoms for the next _____ days to monitor your health
during the remainder of the incubation period. Particularly, remain alert for fever, cough, and
difficulty breathing. Does that sound reasonable? Do you have a thermometer to take your
temperature twice daily (once in the morning and once in the evening?) If not, are you able to
(subjectively) tell when you are feeling feverish?
Sample Script If Contact Has Symptoms – It appears you may be sick with the virus that causes
COVID-19. If you have mild symptoms, such as fever and cough, without difficulty breathing and
you are not at a higher risk of getting very sick (e.g., older than 65 years old, living in a nursing
home or long-term care facility, have a high-risk condition such as chronic lung disease or
moderate to severe asthma, serious heart condition, immunocompromised including cancer
treatment, severely obese with diabetes or renal failure) you should stay home, rest, and separate
yourself from other people in your home as much as possible. Most people who get COVID-19 will
recover without needing medical care. If you are at a higher risk of getting very sick, you should call
your healthcare provider. If you experience emergency signs (e.g., difficulty breathing, pain or
pressure in the chest that does not go away, new confusion or inability to arouse, or blueish lips or
face), seek emergency medical care by dialing 911.
Resources and Support
Sample Script - I know this is a long time to stay at home. Let’s talk through some barriers you
might face during this time.
• What do you do for work? Is it possible to work from home during this time?
• Who else lives in your household? Are any household members at a higher risk for getting
very sick from COVID-19?
• Do you have someone that could run errands/get groceries for you?
• Do you know what to do if you start to feel sick?
Clinical Service
• Refer to medical care or a care coordinator if appropriate.
• Ask if they need help finding medical care.
Part 4: Conclusion
Answer Questions
• Ask the person if they have any additional information.
• Provide factual information to answer questions.
Express Gratitude
• Thank the person for their time and providing the information.
Adapted from the Virginia Department of Health
