SURGE PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED APRIL 15, 2021

Activating our surge protocol means that we are back to following an abbreviated protocol and will be unable to actively reach out and follow up at the highest level we would like to achieve. Our goal is to assure we make at least one contact with all persons who may have become ill with COVID, or who may have been in close contact with someone who was. We will prioritize those at greatest risk to receive the most timely follow up. We ask for persons who are ill or in close contact to reach back to us if they hear from us and to be as responsive as possible. 

Public Health is facing a challenge in maintaining the level of response to COVID-19. The steep increase in cases means the amount of effort required has increased substantially at the same time that the state’s data systems (Opera/ORPHEUS/Arias) have become overwhelmed and inaccessible during regular business hours. 

Changes are made with a goal to maintain LCPH contact with all cases and contacts and to focus resources on high-risk individuals and outbreaks.  Primary reductions are to the number of outreach attempts to each individual, reduced data entry, shorter interviews and increased utilization of community based organization to support individuals in quarantine/isolation with necessary resources.

Surge Protocol summary:

·         LCPH will make 1 call/text within 24 hours and send a letter with 48 hours of notification.  (Change is reduction of 3 call attempts to 1 call attempt)

·         Case Interview Questions are focused on high –priority questions (change from standard protocol questions to high-priority questions)

·         All close contact as uploaded as the Opera system allows with emphasis on Contacts of Concern including High-Risk contacts, household contacts and school-aged contacts. (Change from All Close Contacts entered in Opera to an emphasis on contacts of concerns and data entry on others as Opera allows)

·         Business, school and congregate living notifications – no change

·         Contact Monitoring – responsive monitoring for all with some active monitoring for high-risk contacts (reduced outbound calling to monitor throughout quarantine)

·         Community Based Organizations for wraparound service (added during surge)

·         Wrap around services prioritize food and pharmacy needs.  Respond to other needs as able.  Utilize resource guide and community based organization for individual support. (change from LCPH providing necessary supports)

·         Outbreak investigation- OHA surge list plus others determined to be high-risk (change from standard protocol)

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, Lane County Public Health advises you observe isolation. For more information on what isolation means, please visit our COVID-19 Guidebook: After Testing.

        

If you are not sure how long you should isolate, please use our Isolation Calculator.

If you recently tested positive for COVID-19 with an at-home test, please fill out the “I Think I May Have COVID” online form.

If you recently tested positive for COVID-19 at a doctor’s office or a testing site (e.g. McKenzie Willamette Medical Center, University of Oregon, Lane County Public Health), but have not heard from Lane County Public Health, you may request a letter or services using the “Quarantine or Isolation Letter” online form.

If you have questions, please call the Non-Emergency COVID-19 Call Center at 541-682-1380, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday (English/Spanish)

 If you recently tested positive with an at-home test, or were exposed to COVID-19 and are now having symptoms, please fill out the “I Think I May Have COVID” online form.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID, Lane County Public Health advises you isolate – for more information on what isolation means compared to quarantine, review our Quarantine vs. Isolation Graphic.  

 

If you were recently exposed to COVID-19 and are not fully vaccinated*, please use our Quarantine Calculator to determine how long you should quarantine. For more information on what quarantine means, review our Quarantine vs. Isolation Graphic.  

For close contacts who were not fully vaccinated at the time of their exposure to COVID-19, a 14-day quarantine is the safest option to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Given the current disease burden, the current rate of vaccination, and the current burden in hospitals, Lane County Public Health has implemented a county-wide 10-day quarantine for asymptomatic contacts. We strongly recommend monitoring for symptoms throughout the entire 14-day period, even if you get a negative test result. If any symptoms develop, immediately self-isolate and contact us or your healthcare provider.  or use our “I Think I May Have COVID” online form. For more information on alternative quarantine lengths, review our Quarantine for people with no symptoms Graphic.

If you were fully vaccinated at the time of your exposure to COVID-19 and are not experiencing symptoms, quarantine is not required. For more information, review our COVID-19 Exposure Post Vaccination Information Graphic.

 If you were recently exposed to COVID-19 and require a letter from Lane County Public Health, you request one using the “Quarantine or Isolation Letter” online form.

If you are not sure how long you should quarantine, please use our Quarantine Calculator.

 If you recently tested positive for COVID or were exposed to COVID-19, and require assistance to observe isolation or quarantine, please use our “Requesting a Quarantine or Isolation Letter or Other Resources” online form.

For a list of the services that are available to the community, please review our “Quarantine & Isolation Resources” document

 If you were fully vaccinated* at the time of your exposure to COVID-19 and are not experiencing symptoms, quarantine is not required. It is advised that fully vaccinated persons who were exposed to COVID-19.

• Get tested for COVID-19 around 5 – 7 days after your exposure – for testing information, call your healthcare provider or visit our Testing Website

• Wear a mask when indoors or in large groups – if you are unable to socially distance while outdoors, you should wear a mask

• Monitor for symptoms – if you develop any COVID-19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or use our “I Think I May Have COVID” online form

*Fully vaccinated = >2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series (e.g. Pfizer, Moderna), or >2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine (e.g. Johnson & Johnson)

Every person who tests positive for COVID-19 will receive a letter explaining how to safely and effectively isolate at home for the duration of their infectious period.

When you get tested, please make sure your contact information (mailing address and phone number) are current and up-to-date. That way our letter will arrive quickly to your home.

Your medical information is protected by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). All staff and volunteers who are serving as contact tracers have received HIPPA training. Information collected during contact tracing is stored on secure servers that are only accessible to approved Public Health officials.

We will also not identify you as a possible exposure point when we call your potential contacts. They may be able to make an educated guess, but Lane County will not confirm that information. You may choose to identify yourself to your contacts if you prefer.

When a contact tracer reaches out to a potential contact, they will ask several questions to confirm your identity (name, date of birth, address). They will also ask for information regarding your gender and ethnicity, as well as your workplace.

Contact tracers will also ask if you’ve had any COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath and others. If so, they will ask when you first began feeling sick and for how long.

Finally, contact tracers will ask whether you need help accessing resources during your quarantine.

Lane County and its contact tracers will not ask for your social security number, banking details or financial information. There will be no requests for payment. If you are contacted by someone who tells you they are a contact tracer, but asks for this kind of information please do not provide that information.

Lane County and its contact tracers will not ask for your immigration status and will not share information with immigration authorities or law enforcement. The information gathered will be used only by public health officials.

Please review the Quick Links (below on mobile devices - above right on desktop and tablet devices) for quarantine and isolation resources or the above "Resources for Community Members" section for a list of resources.

Lane County Public Health may provide a case manager who can connect you with area non-profits and organizations to help.

This may include assistance with groceries, prescription pick-up, and infection prevention supplies (e.g., thermometers) as well as filing for unemployment, applying for health insurance, applying for utility assistance, and more.

Lane County may also be able to provide a safe place for community members to isolate.