Richmond, KY– In response to the large numbers of COVID-19 cases in Madison County, Madison County Health Department (MCHD) has limited its contact tracing to those person affiliated with schools, healthcare, daycare, long term care or other clearly defined high-risk situations. For anyone who is a contact to a someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, the health department asks them to follow the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s (DPH) “Guidance for the New CDC COVID-19 Quarantine Options.”
For businesses, MCHD encourages in-house contact tracing. According to Public Health Director Nancy Crewe, “Due to the growing COVID-19 caseload and limited staffing, we will no longer be able to send return to work letters to contacts”.
Businesses should follow the same “Guidance for the New CDC COVID-19 Quarantine Options” that individuals do and share this guidance with their employees. The MCHD epidemiology team will provide businesses with consultation and guidance on a case-by-case basis to assist them with in-house contact tracing efforts.
MCHD will continue to contact and follow persons who test positive for COVID-19. Again, because of case volume and staffing constraints, positive cases may experience delays in being contacted by the health department.
According to Crewe, “Please be patient with us, wait for our calls, and in the meantime, follow DPH’s COVID-19 Patient Guidance.”
For a link to the “Guidance for the New CDC COVID-19 Quarantine Options,” go to:
To access the “COVID-19 Patient Guidance,” go to https://www.abchdkentucky.com/Case%20One%20Pager%2011-11-2020%20vFinal.pdf.
Links for more information regarding MCHD and COVID-19 can be found at : www.madisoncountyhealthdept.org, www.kycovid19.ky.gov, www.cdc.gov .