ESPOO MAGAZINE 3/2020

at your service
In this section of the
magazine, meet employees
and close partners
of the City of Espoo.
Text Mia Weckström Photo Timo Porthan
Detective work
The coordinators of infection tracing known as Coronators
at the City of Espoo’s Infectious Diseases Unit are
working hard to take control of chains of infection.
”
As Coronators, it’s our job to manage
any new positive coronavirus cases
and assign the work to contact tracers
to find out who may been exposed
to the virus. We act as tutors to
the contact tracers, while they carry out the tracking.
We take care of the chain of infection from start to
finish.
Infection tracing is just like being a detective. When
we are notified that someone has tested positive for
the coronavirus, we contact the infected person and
work out the time of infection, the people they have
been in contact with and those who may have been
exposed to the virus as a result. We order
the people who have been exposed to it
into self-isolation. We keep in contact
with the quarantined, infected person
throughout their isolation. We also make
sure that those in self-isolation as a result
of exposure to the virus understand their
responsibility to contact us if they develop
any symptoms. If they do not develop
symptoms, we contact them at the end of
their self-isolation.
Coronators need to be able to react to new developments
quickly and adapt to ever-changing situations.
This has been an eye-opening and educational spring
and summer for us all. We are giving our work a hundred
per cent and keep fighting the virus together with
the public. Whenever a chain of infection breaks and
no new infections occur, we know we have succeeded.
Everything we do relies on cooperation. People in
Espoo, from residents to members of organisations,
have shown great strength in working together throughout
the pandemic and in being understanding and
following the rules. We want to thank every Espoo resident
for doing their part.”
“We have grown into
an efficient team over
a short period of time.
We energise each
other,” say Coronators
Khadra Sugulle
(left), Elina Mäntylä,
Anu Tyykilä, Jasmin
Korhonen and Anu
Pere.
The Espoo
Infectious
Diseases Unit has
• 10 coordinators of infection
tracing known as Coronators
• about 50 contact tracers
• 951 coronavirus infections in
Espoo (6 August 2020)
14 A magazine for Espoo residents