COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The rapid increase of COVID-19 in recent weeks has overwhelmed the staff at the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.
The agency has announced that effective this week, procedures for case investigations will change due to the widespread community transmission that has placed tremendous strain on public health capacity.
As a result of the large number of new positive cases, staff at the local health department may not contact every positive case.
There have been delays in the amount of time it takes to contact all persons who test positive for the virus and some residents haven’t received a call.
There are also residents in quarantine who have been in close contact to someone who has COVID-19 who haven’t been contacted.
The agency is asking Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph County residents to take personal action if they test positive or are a close contact to a positive case by not waiting for Your Local Health Department to call.
Health Officer Rebecca Burns says, “If we all work together and follow the guidelines for COVID-19, we can bend the curve and reduce the number of cases and deaths in our three-county area.”
The agency has begun prioritizing case investigation to notify those who are 65 and older, individuals who are 22 years old or younger, especially those attending school in-person and individuals residing in congregate living environments, such as long-term care facilities.
All other individuals who test positive will be contacted as capacity allows.
If someone is awaiting test results, they must stay home until the results are in. If their test is negative and they are in quarantine, they must finish the 14-day quarantine. For residents that test positive; isolate yourself from others.
To isolate, stay in a separate room from other members of your household and use a separate bathroom if at all possible.
Individuals who test positive are contagious for 48 hours prior to the onset of their symptoms and through the end of their isolation. Then notify your close contacts (people who have been within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more in a 24 hour period with or without a face covering) that they may have been exposed to you while you were contagious; encourage them to quarantine for 14 days since last exposure and consider getting tested.
Contact your employer to let them know you tested positive so that they can perform contact tracing.
With the holiday season coming, the agency strongly encourages residents to help reduce the risk of community transmission by social distancing, wearing masks, practicing hand hygiene and gathering only with household members.
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