The importance of timely contact tracing - A simulation study.

Background: While the role of contact tracing in the containment of the COVID-19 epidemic remains important until vaccines are widely available, literature on objectively measurable indicators for the effectiveness of contact tracing is scarce. We suggest the diagnostic serial interval, the time between the diagnosis of the infector and infectee, as a new indicator for the effectiveness of contact tracing.

Methods: Using an agent-based simulation model, we demonstrate how the diagnostic serial interval correlates with the course of the epidemic.