COVID-19 Template App: WHO FFX Protocol

Owned by Gillian Javetski
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024

WHO FFX Protocol Contact Tracing Application Demo Video (please click image below)

Vidéo de démonstration de l'application en français (veuillez cliquer ici)



About the WHO FFX Protocol Contact Tracing Application

Download the CommCare Application

The WHO FFX application is available to be imported directly into your CommCare project space, along with all free COVID-19 template applications, in this library: https://www.commcarehq.org/covid19 . The application is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hindi.

Application Version History:

  • April 1, 2020 (Latest Update): Updated with Hindi translations
  • March 27, 2020: Updated with translations in French, Spanish, and Portuguese
  • March 19, 2020: First version released


Application Overview

The First Few X (FFX) Cases and contact investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection

This protocol has been designed to investigate the First Few X cases (FFX) and their close contacts. It is envisioned that the FFX 2019-nCoV investigation will be conducted across several countries or sites with geographical and demographical diversity. Using a standardized protocol such as the protocol provided here, epidemiological exposure data and biological samples can be systematically collected and shared rapidly in a format that can be easily aggregated, tabulated and analyzed across many different settings globally for timely estimates of 2019-nCoV infection severity and transmissibility, as well as to inform public health responses and policy decisions. This is particularly important in the context of a novel respiratory pathogen, such as 2019-nCoV.

You can access the original protocol directly on the WHO's website. The original protocol provides a description of the WHO forms, as well as the form workflow.

Supplementary - Symptom diary (Printable)

Symptom diaries should be provided to each close contact, for them to record the presence or absence of various signs or symptoms for a minimum of 14 days after the administration of the initial contact questionnaire (Form B1 in the app). The symptom diary template provided below is generic. In the context of a new virus with uncertain clinical presentation and spectrum, symptom diaries may be broadened to include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, etc., as relevant, and may be altered to include symptom data for longer than 14 days. In the event the contact develops any of these symptoms, ask him/her to inform your local public health team.

You can access the Symptoms Diary protocol here.

Application Details

Application Workflow

Using the WHO original protocols, Dimagi's team of software engineers and implementation specialists built this into a CommCare application. Expand the box below for a high-level diagram of the CommCare application workflow.


Description of Forms in CommCare

This application was developed entirely around the WHO First Few X (FFX) Cases protocol. The tables below break down the role of each form in the CommCare application, including: 

  • Form Name (CommCare)
  • Form Name (WHO)
  • Form Purpose
  • Summary of content
  • Collect information from whom
  • Timing of Data collection 


App Case Types and Relationships

Like many CommCare applications, this application uses case management to keep track of progress of various points of interest. To learn more about the case types and relationships, please review your application's case summary.


App Data Dictionary

The application's case summary is a great way to see every case property and form question. However, some properties are more critical than others. Here are the most important case properties and values, organized by key information related to COVID-19 cases (confirmed and suspected) and contacts of COVID-19 cases:

  • COVID-19 cases (confirmed and suspected)

    • COVID-19 case properties

    • COVID-19 case secondary bacterial test results

    • COVID-19 case virology test results

    • COVID-19 case serology test results

  • Contacts of COVID-19 cases
    • Contact case properties
    • Contact case virology test results
    • Contact case serology test results