Pasco County Shares Information On Coronavirus Contact Tracing

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Contact tracing is used to identify individuals that may have come in contact with an infected person and is critical in slowing the spread of coronavirus.

Everyone needs to work together with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for contact tracing to be effective.

In every coronavirus epidemiological investigation, all individuals that may have been exposed
are notified and given the proper guidance to care for themselves and to protect others. During this investigation, it is essential for people to answer the phone when the health department calls to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

People Who Have Been Diagnosed

A DOH contact tracer will ask a series of questions that help determine who you’ve been in contact with and ask you to stay at home to self-isolate. Unless you give permission, your name will not be revealed to those you came in contact with, even if they ask.

DOH will ask you to stay at home and self-isolate. Self-isolation means staying at home in a specific room away from other people and pets, and using a separate bathroom, if possible.

This is critical in protecting those you live with, as well as your community. It also helps slow the spread of COVID-19 and can help keep your friends and neighbors healthy. Those who are unable to safely isolate may be eligible to stay in a hotel rented by Pasco County until fully recovered.

Close Contacts

If you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, a DOH contact tracer will call to inform you that you’ve been exposed. They will ask you to stay at home and self-quarantine.

Close contact means you were within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. Self-quarantine means staying home, monitoring yourself and maintaining social distancing (at least 6 feet from others at all times).

You should remain in a specific room separate from other non-exposed people and pets in your
home, and use a separate bathroom, if possible.

You should stay at home and self-quarantine for 14 days, starting from the most recent day that you were possibly exposed to COVID-19. The contact tracer will inform you of the dates of your self-quarantine.

If you need to be around other people or animals inside or outside of the home, wear a cloth face covering. This will help protect the people around you.

If you need support or assistance with self-quarantine, DOH-Pasco will work with the county to
provide assistance.

This press release was produced by Pasco County. The views expressed are the author's own.