The Barren River Health Department has issued the following statement about Contact Tracing in relationship to the COVID-19 pandemic:
What is Contact Tracing and How Does it Help? The Barren River District Health Department is accustomed to doing contact tracing as part of our routine communicable disease investigation process. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been conducting contact tracing to slow the spread of the disease in our communities. Contact Tracing is key to safely get back to work while also kick-starting the economy.
? Public Health workers reach out to individuals who have COVID-19 to assess their situation, provide helpful resources, and ask about any recent in-person contacts who may have been exposed to the disease.
? Recent in-person contacts are notified that they may have been exposed to COVID-19 and are offered instructions and connected to local resources. Individuals receive follow-up calls to see how they are doing and gather any new information.
? By following the instructions provided by Public Health workers, contacts help stop the spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of Kentuckians.
Contact Tracing and Patient Privacy In order to protect patients’ confidentiality, contacts will not be told the identity of the person who may have exposed them. They will be told what they need to do to care for themselves, reduce the risk to others, and protect their communities from any further exposure.