Bakersfield College Launches Contact Tracing Course to Train Coronavirus Detectives
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Bakersfield College announces the launch of a week-long Infectious Disease Contact Tracing Course running from July 27, 2020 to July 31, 2020. As the need for more contact tracers ramps up, Bakersfield College is responding by introducing a one-week course that will allow individuals to gain the employability skills needed to provide contract tracing for employers and the community. This course is targeted for current employers who might need their employees to act as contact tacers for the organization, individuals who are currently in the health sciences, as well as those who have been laid off during this COVID-19 induced recession and want to gain the skills to re-enter the workforce.
The course is a one-credit class held entirely online, for a total of 18 course hours. Students will learn about coronavirus, infectious diseases, and develop the skills needed to perform contact tracing. The course is open to current Bakersfield College students as well as to the community and will initially be offered in English with a Spanish language course offered in the second cohort.
“We're excited to open this course up to the community. Aggressive contact tracing is the quickest route to re-opening our country and state. We are doing our part to train this needed workforce,” said Dr. Charles Daramola, Professor of Public Health Science at Bakersfield College. “While a background in healthcare will make it easier to absorb the material in this fast-paced course, anyone can learn the methods used to perform contact tracing. The four-part series will teach everything you need to know about infectious disease theory and develop the skills needed to be an effective, compassionate contact tracer.”
While not a requirement, it is recommended that the student have a background in public health services. Those who have completed PBHS B20 - Introduction to Public Health or have experience in health related fields will have the best advantage in quickly learning the Contact Tracing Course material.
The course will be held online Monday through Friday. Students will study one topic a day and then take an exam on Friday. The coursework can be completed online any time that day, making the course a good option for those who work or perform childcare during the daytime.
“Supporting the fight against COVID-19 is a campus wide effort at Bakersfield College. BC Renegade Nursing students volunteered at local healthcare facilities and Industrial Design faculty and students created face shields for use by local healthcare facilities during the national PPE shortage,” said Richard McCrow, Dean of Instruction, Behavioral and Social Sciences. “Now, we have the opportunity to train ‘Coronavirus Detectives', contact tracers who can identify the chain of the disease transmission and help stop the spread of the virus in Kern County and California.”
It is not necessary to already be a Bakersfield College student to take the Contact Tracing Course. All community members are welcome to apply. BC staff can support interested community members in enrolling in a single day, using the Student Information Desk (SID), a virtual support tool Bakersfield College has made available for students since shifting to a virtual learning environment this past spring. Students must enroll prior to the start date of Monday, July 27, 2020.
To enroll in the Contact Tracing Course or to find out more information, please contact the Public Health Sciences department at publichealth@bakersfieldcollege.edu or visit Services and Resources and request support from the Student Information Desk now available with extended hours and weekends.
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Bakersfield College launches contact tracing course to train “Coronavirus Detectives”
Bakersfield College anuncia cursos para capacitar detectives del Coronavirus
