PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. — The Pima County Health Department has partnered with Maximus Health Services Inc. to expand on local COVID-19 contact tracing efforts.
Maximus Health Services will conduct contact tracing under the health department to alert, educate, and isolate individuals who have come in contact with a known COVID-19 case, according to a news release from PCHD.
The partnership will increase the amount of people operating in this type of work, which will include hiring as many as 150 workers.
This $10 million, six-month contract will assist in all areas of the contact tracing, which has multiple extension options in three-month increments allowing Pima County to reduce or expand efforts based on need.
Maximus will hire within Pima County. Work will start immediately, with the initial kick-off meeting happening later this week. Information about applying for openings will soon be released.
“One of the key components of our response to this outbreak that has been difficult to ramp us has been the hours and hours of people power it takes to do this type of work and the systems it take to support that staff. We look forward to being able to quickly take advantage of the experience, capacity, and planning Maximus will be able to provide," Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen said.
Contact tracing a method health departments use to prevent the spread of diseases by identifying people who have an infectious disease and the people who may have been in contact with them. Contact tracers ask questions and provide information to people who have been exposed, according to Pima County.
As contact tracing efforts continue to expand in Pima County, the Health Department encourages everyone to:
- Pick up the phone! The caller will provide verification that they are calling on behalf of the Pima County Health Department.
- Answer the questions you may be asked and follow the guidance provided. Any information you share is confidential and protected by law. It will not be shared with anyone else.
- Be prepared. If you are contacted by someone who says they have COVID-19 and you may be a close contact, think about the places and people you have been around since you time with that person. It may even be helpful to make notes.
- If you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should stay at home and self-quarantine for 14 days, starting from the most recent day that you were possibly exposed to COVID-19. Monitor yourself, and maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet) from others at all times.
- Monitor for symptoms and notify your healthcare provider if you become ill.
For more information about contact tracing or Pima County, visit here.
