College Town: Assumption students training to become contact tracers
Assumption has partnered with Worcester’s public health division to deploy the students later this spring.
The initiative is part of the university’s infectious and epidemic disease course, which on top of covering the basic biology of COVID-19, will have students complete the 20-hour training required to become a contact tracer in Massachusetts.
The training is offered by Johns Hopkins University, and students are expected to finish by March 4, according to Assumption.
“This course explores in detail the history of infectious diseases while including a current public health dimension to the classroom instruction,” said Assumption professor Aisling Dugan, who designed the class. “This unique way of learning about pandemics will provide relevant opportunities for students to become contact tracing interns in late spring, volunteer as contact tracers for the city of Worcester during the summer, or pursue