COVID-19 response in South African communities: Screening, testing, tracing and movement modelling.
Modisenyane M., Madikezela L., Mngemane S., Ramadan OP., Matlala M., McCarthy K., Govender N., Nemungadi T., Silal SP.
In South Africa (SA), the first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020 from a traveller who had returned from Italy. Increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths necessitated the design and implementation of community screening, testing, and tracing as a control strategy. The SA government's plans to implement community-based screening, testing, contact tracing and movement modelling during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic presented both opportunities and challenges. In this article, we present our experiences, opportunities and lessons for community-based COVID-19 response, anchoring these efforts in the primary healthcare system.