Untersuchung von SARS-CoV-2-Ausbrüchen in Deutschland durch Feldteams des Robert Koch-Instituts, Februar–Oktober 2020

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) offers advice and assistance to local public health agencies on the investigation and management of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Specially trained experts conduct field investigations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, RKI experts participated in the investigation of outbreaks in residential buildings, physicians’ offices, nursing homes, hospitals, and asylum seekers’ facilities as well as at a night club and on a cruise ship. This report describes some of the field investigations conducted in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic between February and October 2020. The investigations provided information on the properties of SARS-CoV‑2 and its transmission as a basis for the recommendations on suitable prevention measures. The practical examples demonstrate the variety of support given as well as the opportunities to gather epidemiological evidence. In September 2020, the RKI established a new unit called the “Focal Point for the Public Health Service,” which now coordinates and is expanding field support. In order to further support the public health system to improve its capability to react to and investigate outbreaks of infectious diseases, interdisciplinary training shall be intensified.