Expansion of testing, isolation, quarantine, e-health and telemonitoring strategies in socioeconomically vulnerable neighbourhoods at primary healthcare in the fight against COVID-19 in Brazil: a study protocol of a multisite testing intervention using a mixed method approach.

INTRODUCTION

The key tools for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and reducing its transmission include testing, quarantine and isolation, as well as telemonitoring. Primary healthcare (PHC) can be essential in increasing access to these tools. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to implement and expand an intervention consisting of COVID-19 testing, isolation, quarantine and telemonitoring (TQT) strategies and other prevention measures at PHC services in highly socioeconomically vulnerable neighbourhoods of Brazil.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study will implement and expand COVID-19 testing in PHC services in two large Brazilian capital cities: Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. Qualitative formative research was conducted to understand the testing context in the communities and at PCH services. The TQT strategy was structured in three subcomponents: (1) training and technical support for tailoring the work processes of health professional teams, (2) recruitment and demand creation strategies and (3) TQT. To evaluate this intervention, we will conduct an epidemiological study with two stages: (1) a cross-sectional sociobehavioural survey among individuals from these two communities covered by PHC services, presenting symptoms associated with COVID-19 or being a close contact of a patient with COVID-19, and (2) a cohort of those who tested positive, collecting clinical data.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The WHO Ethics Research Committee (ERC) (#CERC.0128A and #CERC.0128B) and each city's local ERC approved the study protocol (Salvador, ISC/UFBA: #53844121.4.1001.5030; and Rio de Janeiro, INI/Fiocruz: #53844121.4.3001.5240, ENSP/Fiocruz: #53844121.4.3001.5240 and SMS/RJ #53844121.4.3002.5279). Findings will be published in scientific journals and presented at meetings. In addition, informative flyers and online campaigns will be developed to communicate study findings to participants, members of communities and key stakeholders.