Agency News

COVID-19 Contact Tracing and You

In the ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom launched California Connected, the state’s comprehensive contact tracing program and public awareness campaign, in late May. As part of California Connected, public health workers from communities across the state will connect with individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and work with them, and people they have been in close contact with, to ensure they have access to confidential testing, as well as medical care and other services to help prevent the spread of the virus.

How Does Contact Tracing Work?

Contact tracing is the process of identifying people who may have come into contact with a person known to be infected with COVID-19. By tracing, testing, isolating, and treating the infected, public health departments aim to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Contact tracing is vital to controlling the spread of the virus. It’s extremely important that everyone cooperate with contact tracers to make sure they get all the information needed to follow up on possible transmission of the virus. By finding spread patterns quickly, we slow infection and help avoid further outbreaks.

Under this program, health workers called contact tracers will talk to those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to gather information about persons with whom they have had close contact while infectious. Tracers will ask for those persons’ phone numbers, possible dates of exposure to others, and where that exposure may have occurred. In addition, contact tracers will provide information and directions on how persons who have tested positive for the virus should isolate and monitor their symptoms.

After receiving the necessary information, contact tracers will then call on the identified close contacts to alert them that they may have been exposed to the virus, keeping names confidential. Tracers will provide direction to such persons to isolate themselves and contact a medical provider, as well as information on how to get tested for COVID-19 and on the COVID-19 symptoms for self-monitoring. 

Answer the Call

It’s imperative to answer the call from the public health contact tracers and provide the information they are requesting, so in turn, they can effectively complete the tracing process. As Governor Newsom has said, “We are all eager to get back to work and play, and that’s why we’re asking Californians to answer the call when they see their local public health department reaching out by phone, email, or text. That simple action of answering the call could save lives and help keep our families and communities healthy.” 

Is It Safe to Give Out Information to Contact Tracers?

Information provided to local public health workers doing contact tracing is strictly confidential under California law. Public health authorities will not share that information with outside entities. A certified official public health contact tracer will not ask for your personal medical history, your financial information, your social security number, or about your immigration status. Below is an example of the caller ID you will see when a contact tracer calls you:

Who Can Be a Contact Tracer?

Tulare County currently has over 75 full-time contact tracers, with a goal of having over 100 contact tracers working at various locations throughout the county. To be a contact tracer, a person must have customer service skills, computer skills, and be able to pass a background check. Multi-lingual skills are preferred but not required. Currently, contact tracers in Tulare County make over $15 an hour.

Contact tracers are certified and must complete a multi-day training program, learning the foundations of contact tracing, personal health information and confidentiality laws, customer service training, and systems training for the statewide Cal Connect contact tracing system for COVID-19.

For more information on the contact tracing program, visit: https://covid19.ca.gov/contact-tracing/

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way
Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Learn more by visiting CDC on When and How to Wash Your Hands

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging us in ways we could never have imagined, from unprecedented amounts of family time to homeschooling to working remotely—or not working at all. These sudden, rapid changes in the way we live, coupled with uncertainty, can feel overwhelming. While we may know that it’s helpful for everyone to stay positive, it’s sometimes easier said than done. Here are some suggestions for uplifting your outlook:

Remember it will not be this way forever. This is a difficult time, but it is just that — a time.

Recognize what you are doing well and give yourself credit. It may be tough right now, but you have managed some things really well. Think about the physical, logistical, mental, and emotional struggles you may have encountered in the last few months, and the good—even great—way you approached and handled those challenges.

Top up on sleep and get on top of things you usually push to the side. If you are working from home and/or quarantine, you may have more time on hand because of the removal of commuting time. Take this time to get an extra hour in bed or get on top of that project that keeps getting shoved to the bottom of your to-do list.

Learn something new. Some of us have no work but an abundance of time, and some of us have increased work and reduced time. Whichever situation it is you’re in, it’s important to embrace it. If you happen to find yourself with spare time, here are some suggestions:

• Learn a new language online
• Buy an online cookbook and try some new, healthy, immune-boosting recipes
• Use YouTube to learn anything: camera tips, hair tips, makeup tips, etc.
• Take some online yoga classes
• Learn to meditate

Practice gratefulness. Even when life seems bleak, there are things we still have for which we should be grateful. Keep a gratefulness journal or do a quick morning gratefulness meditation. Notice both significant and small items for which you are thankful. Important things can include your home and shelter, your health, your family, your friends, your ability to put food on your table, and other essentials. Small things are more momentary pleasures, like a hot cup of coffee, a calming bath, a good book, or a funny meme. Be sure to include as much detail into your gratefulness practice as possible.

Exercise. This should be part of your daily routine already, but now even more so. If you’re an active individual, odds are you’ve made necessary adjustments to keep exercising at home instead of at your usual gym, which is likely on lockdown right now. If you’re not regularly active, make exercising a priority and incorporate it into your day. Aside from its physical benefits, exercising releases endorphins in your body, which trigger feelings of positivity, so be sure to include an exercise routine in your day, even if it’s only a short one.

Create and nurture your digital community. Just because we’re all practicing social distancing, it doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch with our family and friends. Thanks to all the communication technology most of us in the industrialized world have access to, doing video calls, jumping into group chats, and even attending virtual parties and concerts are valuable options. Check-in with your friends and reconnect with those you may not have heard from for a while. Keep in mind that your friends and family are likely suffering from the same types of anxiety and stress that you are experiencing right now, so make a mental effort to contribute positively to the conversation.

Being vigilant of our mood in today’s pandemic environment should be a priority to us all. Remaining calm and constructive at times of uncertainty can help us navigate through difficulties and find a path toward our more resilient selves.

Credits: Excerpted from the following sites; visit them for more information:
https://wheresmollie.com/2020/03/positive-thoughts-coronavirus/
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/10-things-you-can-do-to-stay-positive-during-covid-19/