Contact tracing is a huge part of testing for the coronavirus and it is imperative that health departments are able to complete these actions. The concern of course is that if you test positive for COVID-19, you may pass the virus to others without knowing about it. This in turn will cause others to spread it and so on. 

Christian County currently has five trained contact tracers and has brought two additional tracers on staff that is currently training to equal 7 contact tracers. With positive cases on the rise in Christian County, contact tracers are being overwhelmed. Additional staffing is currently being brought on board to handle the expounding number of cases. 

It is up to the public to take additional precautions and steps during this time to help slow the spread of this virus and to keep contact tracers from being overwhelmed. If you receive a positive case, you will be notified before the local health department is aware of your positive test.  The health department receives your test results through an electronic data system. It can take two or more days after you are notified directly before your results are posted to that system. If you are tested and receive a positive diagnosis, do not wait for a call from a tracer, immediately self-isolate.

If you test positive, Chris-Mont EMA asks that you share with your close contacts—that is anyone who you spent 15 minutes or more with over a 24 hour period and were within 6 feet of while you were infectious which is a 2 day period before onset. This will help everyone especially higher-risk populations.

Quarantine requires a 14-day quarantine from the last day of exposure. It may take 2-14 days for someone to present with the virus and if you don’t quarantine you may expose others by being asymptomatic.  Contact tracers will get to you as soon as possible, please answer if they call or immediately call them back.

For more information, please contact Kevin Schott at the Chris-Mont EMA at 217-971-8196.