Changeover from COVID-19 Individual Contact Tracing Calls Begins June

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Health

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced it is shifting its COVID-19 contact tracing efforts and individual case investigation telephone calls to focus on a more strategic approach of automated case notifications. Starting June 1, 2022, IDPH will no longer make individual case investigation calls to persons positive with COVID-19, and instead those individuals will receive an automated message.  IDPH notifications to COVID-19 cases had previously included a call back option from contact tracers and individual case investigations of persons 65 years of age and older. The new notification will be deployed via short message service (SMS) to all reported positive COVID-19 cases and a message will direct callers to resources through automated voice prompts in English, Polish, and Spanish. This new contact tracing process will not impact investigations of cases in congregate facilities, which remain a top priority for local health departments and IDPH. The current contact tracing surge center – a contracted pool of virtual contact tracers implemented in spring 2020 – will cease operations on May 31. For more information, visit www.dph.illinois.gov.

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