Contact tracing leadership change costing city delays, say involved parties
Source: Politico
Mayor Bill de Blasios decision to yank oversight of contact tracing from the health department hes at odds with has delayed the virus-fighting measure by at least a week precious time the city can hardly afford, according to an official involved in the initial effort.
Amy Dixon, a consultant who was in the midst of assisting the citys Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to bring on 1,000 contact tracers, said last weeks leadership change stalled the process.
In this transition, time was lost in interviewing possible candidates, period. At least a week, Dixon said in an interview Monday afternoon.
City officials contacted her several weeks ago, when de Blasio made clear he wanted to hire an army of people to interview Covid-19-positive New Yorkers to ascertain their prior whereabouts. The effort is intended to track sources of infection and slow its rapid spread throughout the city.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/05/12/contact-tracing-leadership-change-costing-city-delays-say-involved-parties-1283485
The campaign for the 2021 Mayor's Race began a year ago; I think a lot of NYC Democrats will be happy to have a replacement for De Blasio.