Isolation, Quarantine and Contact Tracing: Why They Are Equally Important

By Adrianne Robertson

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, contact tracing has become a household term. Yet, there still seems to be a bit of haze around what it is. The Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, in collaboration with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and the Marion County Public Health Department, has received $10.5 million to expand contact tracing in Marion County.

Through December 31, 2020, the Fairbanks School will hire, train and manage more than 300 contact tracers to track the spread of COVID-19 in Marion County, but what exactly are tracers responsible for?

After a person tests positive for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), a contact tracer will call this person to begin the process of tracing everyone they may have had close contact with recently. Close contacts are those who were within 6 feet of the infected individual for at least 15 minutes. The full process typically resembles the following.

A contact tracer will:

1. Call the infected person to begin the tracking process
2. Ask questions about the person’s activities the past week (or so) to identify everyone they were in close contact with while possibly infected
3. Make recommendations for next steps and share resources available to make isolation/quarantine possible
4. Repeat this process by reaching out to others (close contacts) to inform them that they may have been exposed to the virus

A contact tracer will NOT ask:

1. For your social security number
2. For money or payment of any type
3. For photographs or videos of any type
4. Passwords or any other type of account information

Once the close contacts have been identified, they are informed of their potential exposure — while maintaining the anonymity of the person who might have exposed them.

Whether an infected person displays symptoms or not, they could be contagious for up to 10 days after testing positive. It is also possible for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals to pass the virus on to others, which is why it is important for all infected persons to isolate themselves for at least 10 days after testing positive.

Isolation v Quarantine: The Breakdown

If you test positive for COVID-19, you should go into isolation to avoid infecting others. That could mean separating yourself from others in your home who are not infected, or leaving your home altogether (i.e. staying in a hotel). For college students, isolation could mean staying in a different dorm (which is a resource for IUPUI students living on campus) or returning to your guardian’s home temporarily.

If you might have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should quarantine for 14 days from the time of exposure and monitor your health closely. Quarantine helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 that can happen before a person knows they are infected with the virus or displays any symptoms. These individuals are top priority as they are considered the leading edge of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Contact Tracing Playbook, published by Resolve to Save Lives, provides clear and actionable technical guidance and tools for U.S. health departments to rapidly set up and implement contact tracing to support COVID-19 containment (learn more about Box It In).

What You Can Do to Help

Regardless of where you live in Indiana, there are several steps you can take to help with COVID-19 contact tracing and slowing the spread of the virus:

• Answer the call/text – While ignoring unknown numbers has grown common, now is the time to be more responsive. Indiana contact tracers will text/call from the number 877-548-3444 or 833-670-0067. The caller ID may display as “IN Health COVID.” Accepting the call and responding could help keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy, and there are ways to ensure the call is legitimate.
• Check voicemail – If you miss a call or aren’t comfortable answering unknown calls, take the next best step and listen to your voicemail. Yes, contact tracers will leave a message. If the call is not answered within the first day, you should either receive a written letter by mail or a home visit. A door hanger may be left behind if no one is home that asks you to contact the call center at a phone number provided.
• Be honest – Don’t be hesitant to share what you know and your recent whereabouts. And if you’re a member of the IU community, be sure to submit a report. Students and employees can help IU’s contact tracing efforts by sharing information about their positive COVID-19 test results or if they are a close contact through the COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form accessible via iu.edu.
• Use precaution – Whether or not you have been infected or exposed, continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, and wash your hands frequently.

Also keep in mind that it is possible that a person could receive contact tracing calls from more than one contact tracer, but it is recommended to cooperate with each call. In any case, remember that the person calling is a human being and strive to treat them with kindness.

If a resident in Indiana does not respond to the call from the state contact tracers, a representative from the local health department may reach out via phone or in person to collect the necessary information to help control the disease spread.

“The faster we can accomplish contact tracing, the fewer people will need to be quarantined,” said Shandy Dearth, director of undergraduate epidemiology education at the Fairbanks School.

“We encourage people who have been exposed to someone who tests positive for the novel coronavirus to quarantine themselves to minimize transmission of the virus and consider getting tested at one of the many free testing sites available throughout Indiana.”