In collaboration with Dr. Virginia Caine of the Marion County Public Health Department, the Fairbanks School of Public Health expanded contact tracing in the city.
When a person tests positive for the novel coronavirus, a trained contact tracer will begin communicating with the infected individual to begin the process of tracing everyone with which they may have had close contact. Close contacts include those who were within six feet of the infected individual for at least 15 minutes. The tracking period begins after an individual has been exposed to an infected individual.
People with COVID-19 and close contacts should follow the recommendations of the CDC. These recommendations do not change based on COVID-19 community levels.
Contact tracers will not disclose to the public who may have exposed a person to COVID-19. This information is strictly confidential and HIPAA protected.
Public health departments will receive information about positive cases. All employees of public health departments are HIPAA compliant.
Contact tracers will NOT ask:
For your social security number
For money or payment of any type
For photographs or videos of any type
Passwords or any other type of account information
Contact tracers will ask:
To confirm your address, date of birth and other phone numbers you use
How are you feeling? Have you had any potential symptoms? And for how long?
About your activity for a specific period of time, around two weeks
Names and contact information for anyone you have had close contact with
What resources are needed to help you safely and successfully isolate/quaratine
If you are interested in learning more about contact tracing, we recommend these two trainings from Johns Hopkins University and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
