TRACE-COVID-19

TRACE-COVID-19

College of Health

College of Health faculty, students and alumni worked with fellow Oregon State researchers to help determine the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19 in Oregon communities.

The Team-based Rapid Assessment of Community-level Coronavirus Epidemics (TRACE) study results will help save lives.

With a clearer understanding of how the virus spreads, public health leaders, health care providers and individuals can make informed decisions about policies and the use of time and resources to slow the spread of the virus and minimize its impacts.

Visit OSU's official TRACE-COVID-19 site to learn more about the public health surveillance project and participant resources.

   TRACE-COVID-19

Continue below to see how College of Health faculty, students and alumni are contributing to this innovative public health surveillance project.

Videos

 

Overview of TRACE-COVID-19

April 30, 2020
3 min

Oregon State University's overview video during the launch of its innovative public health project to help determine the prevalence in the Corvallis community of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Update on TRACE

June 5, 2020
1 hr

In this research seminar co-principal investigators give an update on how the TRACE-COVID-19 public health project is providing information that is currently missing but essential for informing measures to slow the spread and minimize the impact of the disease.

College of Health TRACE-COVID-19 Leadership

Jeff Bethel is a TRACE-COVID-19 project co-leader along with Professor Ben Dalziel in the College of Science, and CPHHS Dean Javier Nieto. An infectious disease epidemiologist, Jeff previously worked as an epidemiologist at the CDC conducting infectious disease surveillance studies and pandemic influenza planning. He is Co-PI (principal investigator) with the TRACE-COVID-19 team.

Denise Hynes is a professor, registered nurse and public health expert who studies innovative approaches to improving health care quality, access and costs, with special interest in the health and health care of U.S. veterans. Experienced in data governance and data knowledge sharing, she oversees data management policies and procedures for the TRACE-COVID-19 team.

Allison Myers is director of OSU’s Center for Health Innovation and is manager of the TRACE-COVID-19 call center, training and leading a team of student volunteers who are staffing a phone bank to answer the public’s questions about the project.

Javier Nieto is a physician-epidemiologist with expertise in the design and conduct of epidemiological surveys. He has considerable relationships with public health officials at the local, national and international levels. He’s Co-PI (principal investigator) with the TRACE-COVID-19 team.

Aslan Noakes is a 2015 MPH graduate of the CPHHS, a registered nurse and a public health advocate who runs a for-profit social business, called Empower Haiti Together, to promote sustainable and empowering partnerships in Haiti. She is the TRACE-COVID-19 field manager, overseeing all of the field worker teams that are collecting surveys and samples from participants.

News

College of Health faculty, students and alumni in TRACE-COVID-19 news.
All news releases and additional stories are available on the official TRACE-COVID-19 site.

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Seventh round of Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling suggests three people in 1,000 have virus

June 28, 2021

Seventh round of Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling suggests three people in 1,000 have virus

The seventh round of door-to-door sampling throughout Corvallis by TRACE-COVID-19 field workers on suggested three people per 1,000 carried the coronavirus on those days. Read full story at Synergies.

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Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling June 5 and 6 to include saliva testing for antibodies

May 26, 2021

Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling June 5 and 6 to include saliva testing for antibodies

Oregon State University will conduct its seventh round of TRACE-COVID-19 sampling in Corvallis with the addition of testing saliva for COVID-19 antibodies. Read full story at Synergies.

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OSU TRACE-COVID-19 project tests 60,000 individuals, 3,000 wastewater samples in first year

April 26, 2021

OSU TRACE-COVID-19 project tests 60,000 individuals, 3,000 wastewater samples in first year

Oregon State University’s TRACE-COVID-19 project marks it’s one-year anniversary. CPHHS faculty and others reflect on the project’s impact. Read full story at Synergies.

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Sixth TRACE-COVID-19 survey in Corvallis estimates 13 people in 1,000 had virus

April 1, 2021

Sixth TRACE-COVID-19 survey in Corvallis estimates 13 people in 1,000 had virus

“Continued caution is clearly warranted with this increase in prevalence,” added TRACE co-leader Jeff Bethel, an associate professor in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences. “Everyone is understandably getting tired of wearing masks and physical distancing, but it’s important that we remain disciplined.” Read full story at Synergies.

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OSU’s TRACE Community COVID-19 sampling in Redmond suggests 32 cases per 1,000 residents

February 9, 2021

OSU’s TRACE Community COVID-19 sampling in Redmond suggests 32 cases per 1,000 residents

“People in the region have an outdoor-oriented lifestyle but when it’s cold everyone tends to spend more time indoors,” Associate Professor Jeff Bethel says. “That means it’s critical to be extra cautious and vigilant in observing our own health symptoms and following public health guidelines, such as engaging in social distancing, frequently washing our hands, wearing face coverings and limiting attendance at social get-togethers.” Read full story at Synergies.

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OSU to bring TRACE Community COVID-19 sampling to Redmond this weekend

January 25, 2021

OSU to bring TRACE Community COVID-19 sampling to Redmond

“Even though the region is a hub for outdoor recreation year-round, when it’s cold outside people tend to spend a lot more time indoors,” Associate Professor Jeff Bethel says. “That necessitates being extra cautious and vigilant in observing our own health symptoms and following public health guidelines, such as engaging in social distancing, frequently washing our hands, wearing face coverings and limiting attendance at social get-togethers.” Read full story at Synergies.

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Oregon State TRACE results suggest five people per 1,000 in Eugene infected with SARS-CoV-2

November 20, 2020

Oregon State TRACE results suggest five people per 1,000 in Eugene infected with SARS-CoV-2

“Prevalence only indicates how relatively abundant the virus is in a target population,” Associate Professor Jeff Bethel says. “It doesn’t tell you your likelihood of getting the virus but can help you understand the likelihood of encountering someone with the virus. Social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands will help, but it is a numbers game: The more people you are around, the greater the odds of encountering an infected person.” Read full story at Synergies.

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TRACE Teams Went Knockin' To Test Random Eugene Neighborhoods For Viral Infection

November 10, 2020

TRACE Teams Went Knockin' To Test Random Eugene Neighborhoods For Viral Infection

Over the weekend, hundreds of randomly selected Eugene households were approached to participate in a community COVID-19 testing effort. The TRACE project. Read full story at KLCC.

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Oregon State University, University of Oregon team up to bring TRACE sampling to Lane County

October 29, 2020

Oregon State University, University of Oregon team up to bring TRACE sampling to Lane County

Scientists and students from Oregon State University and the University of Oregon are teaming up to bring OSU’s TRACE Community COVID-19 public health project to Eugene at the request of Lane County Public Health. Read full story at Synergies.

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Fifth round of Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling suggests three people in 1,000 have virus

October 6, 2020

Fifth round of Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling suggests three people in 1,000 have virus

“Continued caution and adherence to public health guidelines such as social distancing, frequent hand-washing, and wearing face coverings are warranted even with this low prevalence,” says TRACE co-leader Jeff Bethel. Read full story at Synergies.

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Smoke postpones TRACE-COVID-19 sampling scheduled for Sept. 12-13 in Corvallis

September 11, 2020

Smoke postpones TRACE-COVID-19 sampling scheduled for Sept. 12-13 in Corvallis

Oregon State University is rescheduling this weekend’s fifth round of door-to-door sampling in Corvallis for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 because of poor air quality caused by numerous wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. Read full story at OSU News and Research Communications.

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September 9, 2020

Fifth weekend of Corvallis TRACE-COVID-19 sampling to take place Sept. 12-13

“Benton County Health Department is extremely fortunate to have OSU’s energetic and inspired researchers as our partners,” says Charlie Fautin, the department’s interim co-director. “This study continues to provide valuable and timely information about the virus’ current presence.” Read full story at Synergies.

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TRACE results suggest 17% of Hermiston community infected with SARS-CoV-2

July 31, 2020

TRACE results suggest 17% of Hermiston community infected with SARS-CoV-2

80% of those Hermiston community members who tested positive in the TRACE sampling did not report symptoms of the virus. “Residents should pay close attention to social distancing and follow the statewide face-covering mandate that began earlier this month,” added Dean Javier Nieto. Read full story at Synergies.

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TRACE COVID-19 Conducts Door-to-Door Testing in Hermiston

July 25, 2020

TRACE COVID-19 Conducts Door-to-Door Testing in Hermiston

"I work with a lot of the low income, non English-speaking families here, and a lot of them are misinformed of what the Coronavirus is, so I'm glad I have the opportunity to go out to their house and at least explain [it] to them, offer them a free test, which most of people here in Hermiston do need, especially because there's a lot of undocumented here that don't have insurance," said Ascensio. Read full story at NBC Right Now.

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Second round of sampling suggests significantly lower prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Newport

July 24, 2020

Second round of sampling suggests significantly lower prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Newport

Preliminary results of a second round of door-to-door sampling by Oregon State University in Newport suggest a significantly lower prevalence of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 on July 11-12 than compared to a similar sampling three weeks earlier. Read full story at Synergies.

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Oregon State University expands coronavirus prevalence study to Hermiston

July 22, 2020

Oregon State University expands coronavirus prevalence study to Hermiston

TRACE-COVID-19 will sample community members in Hermiston this weekend, July 25-26, at the request of the Oregon Health Authority and Umatilla County Public Health in response to an outbreak of cases in county workplaces. Read full story at Synergies.

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Oregon State University adds second week of coronavirus prevalence sampling in Newport

July 6, 2020

Oregon State University adds second week of coronavirus prevalence sampling in Newport

TRACE-COVID-19, the groundbreaking Oregon State University project to determine community prevalence of the novel coronavirus, will return to Newport for two more days of sampling this weekend, July 11-12. Read full story at Synergies.

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TRACE results suggest 3.4% of Newport community infected with SARS-CoV-2

June 30, 2020

TRACE results suggest 3.4% of Newport community infected with SARS-CoV-2

Preliminary results from door-to-door sampling by Oregon State University suggest that 3.4% of the Newport community had the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 on June 20-21. Read full story at Synergies.

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June 15, 2020

Oregon State University expands coronavirus prevalence study to Newport

TRACE-COVID-19, the groundbreaking Oregon State University project to determine community prevalence of the novel coronavirus, is expanding to include two days of sampling in Newport on June 20-21. Read full story at Synergies.

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June 12, 2020

Right time, right place, right researcher

Jeff Bethel has found his moment. For him, and others in public health, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the work they do every day, work that happens behind the scenes and isn’t visible until disease or disaster strikes. Read full story at Synergies.

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June 10, 2020

Fourth weekend of TRACE sampling in Corvallis will take place June 13-14

Oregon State University will conduct its fourth round of door-to-door sampling in Corvallis for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 on June 13-14, roughly one month after the easing of stay-at-home restrictions. Read full story at Synergies.

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June 10, 2020

OSU-Cascades students and alumni contribute to COVID-19 testing in Bend

For Christie, Hartsock and Thomas, all former or current OSU-Cascades students, the project provides hands-on experience and the potential to make a local and global public health impact. Read full story at OSU News and Research Communication.

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June 10, 2020

TRACE sampling in Bend suggests one person in 1,000 infected with SARS-CoV-2

Results from two days of door-to-door sampling by Oregon State University and OSU-Cascades suggest that one person in 1,000 in the Bend community during the weekend of May 30-31 had the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Read full story at Synergies.

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June 02, 2020

Results showing prevalence of COVID-19 in Bend coming next week

In a week, researchers will know the prevalence of COVID-19 in Bend, after teams scoured 30 neighborhoods seeking a random sample of people to test for the virus. Read full story at Bend Bulletin.

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May 27, 2020

Traditional health workers join OSU public health project

When Caitlin Maudlin and Analuz Torres-Giron heard about Oregon State University’s new research project measuring the prevalence of COVID-19 in Corvallis, they were ready to jump in with both feet. Read full story at Synergies.

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May 26, 2020

TRACE week three results suggest one person per 1,000 in Corvallis infected with SARS-CoV-2

Results from the third weekend of door-to-door sampling suggest that one person in 1,000 in the Corvallis community had the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 on May 9-10. Read full story at Synergies.

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May 22, 2020

Oregon State University expands coronavirus prevalence study to Bend

The TRACE-COVID-19 project, to determine community prevalence of the novel coronavirus, is expanding to include two days of sampling in Bend. Read full story at Synergies.

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May 15, 2020

Latest from OSU coronavirus study: 672 people tested, 0 infections found.

Officials estimate the infection rate in early May at 1 in 1,000 Corvallis residents. Read full story at Oregonian.

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May 15, 2020

Alumna leads students on TRACE-COVID-19

CPHHS alumna Aslan Noakes, RN, MPH, is no stranger to making plans on the fly. This mother, nurse, multitasker, entrepreneur, organizer and master of triage is field manager for OSU’s TRACE-COVID-19 study. Or, as her team calls her, “chaos coordinator.” Read full story at Synergies.

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May 14, 2020

TRACE week two results suggest one person per 1,000 in Corvallis was infected with SARS-CoV-2

Results from the second weekend of door-to-door sampling May 2-3 by Oregon State University suggest that about one person in 1,000 in the Corvallis community had the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 during that period. Read full story at OSU News and Research Communications.

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May 12, 2020

Ask An Expert: How OSU's study is determining coronavirus prevalence

We’re learning more about a study being done in Corvallis, where researchers are going door to door and testing residents for coronavirus to find its prevalence in the community. Jeffery Bethel from Oregon State University joined us via video conference Tuesday to answer questions about the research. Watch video at KATU.

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May 11, 2020

OSU trace project initial results are in

OSU researchers are continuing a unique project to track COVID-19 in Corvallis, Oregon. Watch video at KGW8.

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May 7, 2020

Students get real-world experience answering community questions about TRACE

When OSU’s TRACE-COVID-19 study was preparing to launch, the research team and its community partners knew they needed to be able to respond to questions and concerns from study participants and the public. A call center was needed, but how could one be created in such a short time? Read full story at Synergies.

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May 7, 2020

TRACE first week’s results suggest two people per 1,000 in Corvallis were infected with SARS-CoV-2

Results from the first weekend of door-to-door sampling suggest that about two people per 1,000 in the Corvallis community had the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 when they were tested. Read full story at OSU News and Research Communications.

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April 30, 2020

Door-to-Door Study Expected To Identify More COVID-19 Cases In Benton County

The Benton County Health Department is anticipating a bump in positive COVID-19 cases after expanded testing in Corvallis. New results could be the outcome. Read full story at KLCC.

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April 29, 2020

College TRACE workers find opportunity amid crisis

Students and staff are motivated by study's potential impact. Read full story at Synergies.

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April 23, 2020

OSU Survey Plans To Track Spread Of COVID-19 In Corvallis And Beyond

Scientists with experience tracking disease want to help survey for COVID-19. A new project from Oregon State University could serve as a blueprint. Read full story at OPB.

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April 22, 2020

Oregon Town Goes Door to Door Tracking COVID-19

A college town in Oregon is embarking on a groundbreaking effort to measure the hidden spread of COVID-19 within the community, thanks to the local university. Read full story at WebMD.

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April 20, 2020

Oregon State starts program to test Corvallis residents for COVID-19

Volunteers will test four thousand people over the next four weekends. Watch video at KGW8.

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April 16, 2020

Oregon State University project to determine COVID-19 prevalence in Corvallis

Oregon State University scientists will embark on a groundbreaking project in the coming days as they start testing in the greater Corvallis community to determine the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19. Read full story at OSU News and Research Communications.