Fight Covid-19

Help your community fight the COVID-19 pandemic by learning a new skill that is in high demand.

Contact tracers — known as “disease detectives” — are a powerful workforce that can help reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. To combat COVID-19 in Texas, we need thousands of contact tracers. The University of Houston has launched two contact tracing training programs:

Training for the General Public

The University of Houston Epi Corps program trains the general public to conduct high-quality contact tracing, and provides an overview of COVID-19 related topics, through a 22-hour, online course on Coursera.

Until December 31, the public training course can be taken at no cost (free), with receipt of a certificate upon completion.

Training for UH Students, Faculty or Staff Only

The University of Houston Epi Corps program trains UH students, faculty or staff to conduct high-quality contact tracing through a free, 12-hour, online program.

Registration for this course is closed.

If you are a UH faculty, student, or staff, you can register for the General Public Course through the link provided above.
Students currently enrolled in the internal course should complete all modules by August 7.
All certificates must be printed by August 7.

WHAT DOES A CONTACT TRACER DO?

• In contact tracing, public health staff work with an individual to help them recall everyone with whom they have had close contact during the timeframe while they may have been infectious.
• Public health staff (contact tracers) then warn these individuals (contacts) of their potential exposure as rapidly and sensitively as possible.
• Contact tracers provide contacts with education, information, and support to understand their risk, what they should do to separate themselves from others who were not exposed, monitor themselves for illness, and that it is possible for them to spread the infection to others even if they themselves do not feel ill.