Van Buren-Cass Health Department Changes Contact Tracing Policy

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The Van Buren/Cass District Health Department is reminding the community of revised contact tracing procedures as cases of COVID-19 rise. The department has released the following:

Over the past month, the number of positive COVID-19 cases reported to Van Buren/Cass District Health Department (VBCDHD) have increased significantly. Recent cases have reported numerous close contacts making contact tracing efforts difficult to sustain. Even with assistance from partner organizations and increased staffing, capacity has been reached. Individuals and their close contacts may not receive a phone call from Van Buren/Cass District Health Department.

Effective November 11, Van Buren/Cass District Health Department has made the decision, based on the overwhelming number of Van Buren and Cass County cases, to focus efforts on containing potential outbreaks by:

1. Continuing case investigation and contact racing in nursing homes, hospitals, and schools as well as clusters identified as priority by VBCDHD such as high-risk congregate settings; and

2. Assisting businesses with COVID-related issues

With the change in priorities, we are asking for everyone’s help to follow isolation and quarantine measures.
Individuals notified they are positive should do the following:

• Isolate for 10 days. Individuals need to isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or 10 days from the day a positive test sample was collected if they don’t have symptoms (asymptomatic). After 10 days, if your symptoms have improved and you are fever free without the use of medications, it is ok to return to normal activities. If you are still feeling sick, please consult with a medical professional as some people can be contagious for a longer period. if symptoms improve and you are fever free without the use of medications, it is okay to return to normal activities after 10 days

• Notify all of your close contacts and ask that they quarantine. A close contact includes people you have been within 6 feet of for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting 2 days before your symptoms began, or for COVID-positive individuals without symptoms, 2 days prior to when your test sample was collected.

o Inform close contacts they need to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last contact to you while you were considered contagious and monitor for symptoms

o If symptoms arise, get tested

Please note: receiving a negative COVID-19 test result after exposure does not mean that you will not develop symptoms or test positive at a future time within your quarantine period. Close contacts need to complete the full 14-day quarantine period even if they do not develop symptoms or test negative.

“CDC and MDHHS guidance have not changed – wearing masks and social distancing are imperative if we are going to eliminate coronavirus. Stay home if you are sick and stay away from social gatherings, especially with people outside of your household and if masking and social distancing is not happening,” says Dr. Larry Wile, Medical Director, Van Buren/Cass District Health Department. He continues, “we are counting on our entire community to help stop the spread and slow the infection until we can access other tools for prevention, like a vaccine. We ask everyone be ready to take actions on their own if they test positive for COVID-19. Isolating and notifying your close contacts are critical to containing the spread within our community.”

For COVID-19 testing locations and more information about Coronavirus (COVID-19) visit the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department www.vbcassdhd.org or www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.