State Approaches to Contact Tracing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In August 2021, the state reported that local health departments are working to triage and prioritize case investigations. The state health department works with them if assistance is needed.

Local health department are managing roughly 40% of the contact tracing.

In New York City, the city’s public hospital system leads tracing work.

The University of South Dakota’s Community Action Response Epidemiology (CARE) team partnered with the state to provide contact tracing and health promotion for the university and for the state’s tribal communities.

As of November 2021, the state reports that its public health officials are unable to keep up with contact tracing due to the high case count and recommend people who test positive to do their own contact tracing.

At the Los Angeles International Airport, passengers are required to complete an online form with information used to facilitate contact tracing if there is an outbreak.

The state has expanded testing at schools, delivering over 2 million at-home test kits to students to prevent school closures after the holidays. The state has provided the Santa Barbara school district a grant to contract seven nurses to assist with contact tracing and facilitate onsite testing.

Contact tracing prioritizes high-risk cases, based on occupation, age, and underlying health conditions.

In October 2021, the District announced plans to hire additional contact tracers, substitute teachers and workers to handle COVID-19 logistics in schools (making $20 million available for public schools and $17 for charter schools). The school system will spend $22 million to hire nearly 250 new employees. They plan to double the number of contact tracers to 20 people. The funds will also be used to assign each school a Covid Strategy and Logistics Coordinator to help with contact tracing, notifications to families, and student testing.

As of December 2021, the state’s public health department is focusing its case investigations on high-risk settings (e.g. schools and long-term care facilities). Due to the surge, case investigators will ask people who test positive to inform their own close contacts.

In October 2021, IDPH released a roadmap for contact tracing prioritization. It provides guidance for local departments about how to modify practices and make appropriate adjustments to contact tracing programs during case surges and how to ramp up efforts when caseloads are lower.

School nurses act as Maine CDC’s primary point of contact for families and confirmed cases at schools. This has caused strain on these staff, with many reporting they need to reprioritize their regular duties and add weekend and evening hours to schedules.

Due to staff shortages, Arundel County leaders are looking to focus contact tracing efforts on vulnerable areas, incuding child care and assisted living.

In December 2021, family gatherings were labeled high-risk settings as individuals prepared for the holidays.

As of December 2021, local health departments are responsible for their own contact tracing.  They have been advised to only do tracing in higher-risk settings, such as nursing homes, homeless shelters, and schools. While some departments have opted to continue contact tracing most cases until it becomes overwhelming, others have opted to cut back in line with state guidelines.

Boston Public Schools responded to parents’ complaints for better COVID safety in schools as cases continue to surge by announcing new funding for COVID prevention. Officials plan to spend an additional $3 million on expanding contact tracing and hiring more contract nurses.

As of November 2021, school nurses in the Boston area are reported to be overwhelmed with contact tracing. They report that contact tracing in schools has been insufficient, allowing potentially infected students to stay in school as long as a week before getting tested.

Various school districts throughout the state announced modified return to school plansafter the holidays, including stronger contact tracing efforts.

As cases continued to surge in December 2021, the Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Committee called for an immediate  end to in-person learning  as well as the full implementation of public health measures, including contact tracing.

Due to the surge in cases, as of November 2021, Marquette County Health Departmenthas reevaluated its contact tracing efforts to focus on those at greatest risk (harm and hospitalization).

As of September 2021, Olmsted County Public Health scaled back contact tracing due to increasing caseloads and conduct only targeted contact tracing to protect vulnerable groups. In November 2021, the state took over contact tracing efforts in the county.

In November 2021, Rockwood School District allocated $170,000 of ARPA funds to outsource contact tracing operations with Maxim Healthcare Staffing Solutions Inc. in anticipation of holiday-related surges.

In December, the Cascade City-County Health Department announced that because case rates were low, the department would be taking the opportunity to refine its case investation and contact tracing processes in anticipation of another surge.

In October 2021, some counties have faced delays in contact tracing due to an increase in cases, with one reservation placed under partial shutdown in order to catch up on contact tracing.

In August 2021, some counties hired additional staff to keep up with contact tracing as cases increased.

Due to the shortage of contact tracers and backlog of cases, contact tracers in Gallatin County are prioritizing contact tracing efforts for residents 65 years of age or older, children, healthcare workers, immunocompromised people, and people living and working in congregate settings.

In August 2021 PRC began providing contact tracing for the state’s local health departments and school districts while continuing its contact tracing work at the state level.

The Clark County Health District is prioritizing which cases are handled first by its 250 contact tracers. School-age children are a top priority now that students are back in school.

The Washoe County Health District is delegating contact tracing for middle and high school students to the Washoe County School District.

The Southern Nevada Health District stated it will use existing contact-tracing and quarantining strategies to minimize transmission in the event of an Omicron-driven surge.

In anticipation of case surges in January 2022, the New Jersey Department of Health has distributed guidance to all district and school leaders regarding the Test to Stay option to ensure the schools can remain in-person. Test to Stay combines contact tracing and serial testing to allow asymptomatic students designated as a close contact of another, positive student to remain in school if they test negative.  Should a school opt into Test to Stay, they must have robust contact tracing and testing practices already in place.

As of November 2021, the state is stepping up monitoring and contact tracing at theNewark Liberty International Airport as travelers arrive amid the anticipated Omicron-surge.

In December 2021, various counties announced they will now provide self-attestation formsthat can be used to complete the contact tracing process and for release from quarantine as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state.

In response to a surge due to Omicron, the Tompkins County Health Department is prioritizing household and congregate contacts due to limited capacity.

The state is stepping up monitoring and contact tracing at airports as international travelers arrive amid the anticipated Omicron-surge.

Ulster County declared a state of emergency in November 2021 with the intention to free up county resources and deploy county workers to help with vaccinations and  contact tracing in the event of an Omicron-surge.

As of September 2021, about 50 members from the National Guard resumed contact tracing efforts to assist the state’s health department and 15 others are helping at the state laboratory in Bismark. The group is expected to remain in active duty until the end of the year.

In October 2021, the state announced a new program to provide PCR and rapid antigen tests to schools across the state. Unvaccinated students who are close contacts of a positive case will not be required to quarantine if they test negative and remain asymptomatic for 7 days post exposure.

In September 2021, the Blue Ridge Health District announced that it is prioritizing cases who may be at greater risk of exposure, are not eligible to receive a vaccine, or may expose a larger number of people. Due to a surge in school cases, the health district has turned over contact tracing to schools.

As resources allow, their approach to contact tracing includes manual calls to individuals who test positive. Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes is considered a contact. Contact tracers refer people to Alabama Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, which supports and helps people who are self-isolating.

The state updated guidance for schools in July 2021, which recommends school officials notify individuals who are close contacts of a suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 case as soon as possible. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.  The guidance also includes a “Test to Stay” quarantine model. Asymptomatic and vaccinated close contacts do not need to quarantine. School nurses are primarily responsible for contact tracing. Schools are required to report both suspected and diagnosed cases of COVID-19 to local health officials for tracking purposes.

The state conducts initial contact tracing outreach via manual calls to positive cases (and their contacts, when feasible). Those who were within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes starting two days before symptoms emerged, or two days before the test for those who are asymptomatic, are considered contacts. Aligning with CDC guidance released in December 2021, the state shortened the quarantine period to 5 days for asymptomatic and not fully vaccinated contacts. The state conducts case investigations for both “probable” cases (positive by antigen test) and “confirmed” cases (positive by molecular test).

The state is tracking breakthrough infections by checking positive cases against the state’s vaccine database and asking vaccine status during contact tracing interviews.

The state recommends contact tracers work with employers if a person with COVID-19 attended work while infectious but cannot remember who they came into close contact with.

The state provides guidance to schools based on CDC recommendations. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

A close contact is defined as someone who has been within six feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period between two days before and ten days after symptom onset, or test date for asymptomatic cases.

The state uses an automated monitoring and reporting system called Qualtrics to allow contacts of positive cases to report symptoms over a period of 14 days by text or email.

The state recommends congregate settings maintain visitor logs and cohort residents to aid contact tracing efforts.

Produce companies that employ migrant farmers have partnered with non-profit health organizations to provide testing and contact tracing for their workers.

The state says that schools cannot require unvaccinated students to quarantine even if they have had contact with a confirmed positive case.

The state released guidance for schools in April 2021, including instructions for contact tracing. Schools are encouraged to use cohorting or podding of students to facilitate testing and contact tracing and to minimize transmission across cohorts. The state is contracting with Concentric to provide free, voluntary pooled screening testing in K-12 schools.

Among the White Mountain Apache tribe in Arizona, contact tracing includes home visits where all members of the household are tested for COVID-19.

Pima County is attempting in-person contact tracing if it cannot reach cases by phone, text, or email.

Contact tracers provide information to help people safely quarantine, find alternate arrangements as necessary, and help them get tested, if recommended. They also connect people with services available through the Department of Health, such as food delivery or alternate housing.

The Department of Education released guidelines for schools stating that probable close contacts and close contacts confirmed by state health department contact tracers must self-quarantine before returning to school. The guidelines were updated in October 2021 to adhere to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

The Department of Health is also following CDC guidelines when contact tracing capacity is limited; prioritizing positive cases and those diagnosed within six days of specimen collection or symptom onset.

Contact tracers refer people to their local public health departments for more information about available resources, such as testing, medical care, housing, or other resources.

As of December 2021, California aligns with CDC guidance, which shortens the timeframe for isolation and quarantine, but adds a testing requirement to exit isolation.

The state released guidance for schools, last updated in November 2021, which included instructions for contact tracing and information about the school screening testing program. It also provides schools with testing resources and guidance. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies, and the guidance provides modified quarantine practices for these contacts. Per legislation approved in March 2021, schools are required to report COVID-19 cases to their local public health department, which will conduct contact tracing. Schools should have a COVID-19 liaison to assist the local public health agency with contact tracing.

Contact tracers tell people how to get tested, how to quarantine, and link them to a COVID-19 navigator for support services access such as food, lodging, and financial help.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released a statement in September 2021 asking residents to participate in contact tracing as the Delta variant continues to spread.

As of November 2021, the Tri-County Health Department is unable to reach out to everyone by phone due to a rise in cases. They have limited their outreach to focus on positive cases who interact with a high risk setting. The health department also sends a letter to all positive cases explaining what they should do to quarantine.

In August 2021, Colorado’s District 49 reported it will not report positive cases or cooperate with requests for contact tracing.

The state recommends that schools and childcare facilities report positive cases to their local public health agency, even if testing was performed elsewhere. If testing is performed in schools, then schools are obligated to report cases to their local public health agency. Once a school has an outbreak, school leadership should work with their local public health agency to determine additional mitigation strategies, including masking indoors, distancing, testing, and contact tracing. In September 2021, the state issued an order requiring the department of education to provide the state health department with student data to match names in the state’s vaccine database.

The state conducts initial contact tracing outreach via automated text messages or emails and manual phone calls to those who do not respond to the text messages or emails. In response to recent spam attempts, the state is reminding people that their calls will show up as CT COVID TRACE or the number from the local health department.

The state uses a software system called ContaCT for monitoring test results and positive cases. ContaCT will identify and refer people who need support throughout self-isolation or self-quarantine by connecting them with state, local, and regional resources as necessary, such as food and housing.

Contact tracers conduct in-person visits for those who did not provide phone numbers at the testing laboratories or did not respond to the call. If a surge in infections exceeds the capacity of localities to make notifications, the software has the capability to alert new cases and close contacts through text and email-based questionnaires.

The state uses a rapid response team to address outbreaks and implement best practices in nursing homes and assisted living facilities as needed.

In August 2021, the state asked health districts, when doing contact tracing, to focus more on vaccination status because guidance for isolation and quarantine vary based on vaccination status.

As of August 2021, the state offers COVID-19 testing to elementary schools for unvaccinated, asymptomatic elementary school students and staff. Participating schools are paired with a testing partner and are responsible for communicating with local health officials to conduct contact tracing.

The state released guidance for schools in August 2021, including instructions for contact tracing. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

As of December 2021, people can also self-report their positive COVID-19 test result in the DC COVID Alert Notice (DCAN) app, which is expected to help DC Health to more quickly identify and notify close contacts. People who take a rapid, at home test must report their results to DC Health online. All DC Public School (DCPS) students and staff must report a negative COVID-19 test online, with contact information and the name of their school, before returning to school on January 5, 2022.

The District released guidance for businesses, community establishments, and public events.

The District released guidance for schools in August 2021, including instructions for contact tracing, which involves collaboration between the DCPS COVID response team and DC Health. The District adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies. DC Health recommends contact tracing should be carried out by school staff to identify and dismiss potential close contacts until DC Health is able to complete the case investigation. Vaccinated and asymptomatic close contacts are not required to quarantine. School administration must notify their respective school community when a positive case has been identified and whether an individual was a close contact or not. As of December 2021, close contact notifications will be sent to all students and staff in the classroom of the positive reported case if more detailed contact tracing cannot be done expediently and community notices of reported cases are posted online.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 10 minutes is considered a contact.

Positive cases or confirmed contacts who need extra support to self-quarantine (e.g., grocery delivery or alternative housing) are referred to a network of local community health workers coordinated by Healthy Communities Delaware. As of December 2021, vaccinated and boosted close contacts do not need to quarantine if they remain masked.

The state released guidance for schools in September 2021, including instructions for contact tracing. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies. The state is providing asymptomatic, voluntary screening testing in schools and child care facilities in partnership with Quidel.

If a positive case or a symptomatic contact of a positive case is identified in a school setting, a case investigator will work with the school to conduct contact tracing. The case investigator will notify schools to ensure that positive cases and contacts do not return until after their isolation or quarantine period ends.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes, starting two days before they became sick, is considered a contact.

As of January 2021, local health departments stopped contact tracing to focus on the vaccine rollout. Contact tracing is now being done at the district level.

The state created a Health Liaison position at the Department of Education to work with the Department of Public Health on school health issues. This role includes ensuring efficient and expedited testing, contact tracing, data collection, reporting, and supports for COVID-19 in school settings. The state released interim guidance for schools in June 2021, including instructions for contact tracing.

The state recommends cohorting in childcare facilities to limit the number of children, teachers, and staff who come in contact with each other and to assist in contact tracing. Childcare programs are also strongly recommended to collaborate with the local health district and Department of Public Health on contact tracing efforts for children, teachers, and staff.

In September 2021, the state released recommendations for contact tracing in health care settings.

The state conducts initial contact tracing outreach via manual calls, an online survey platform, or both to positive cases and their contacts. The state also encourages those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to alert their own close contacts.

Anyone who had face-to-face contact or was within six feet of someone while they were contagious for 10 minutes or longer is considered a contact. The state requires all travelers to download and use the AlohaSafe or other mobile contact tracing apps.

In November 2021, the state started requiring airlines to collect contact information from international travelers, regardless of vaccination status, to help with contact tracing.

The state released guidance for the 2020-2021 school year, including instructions for contact tracing. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition. The state recommends ‘Ohana bubbles’ or cohorting to facilitate contact tracing. Some schools require students to wear contact tracing device lanyards.

As of September 2021, local health districts faced backlogs of cases due to a lack of available staff to process cases and technological limitations in their system. As a result, districts encourage cases to notify their close contacts. This backlog has prompted districts to launch new COVID-19 data collection tool for self-reporting positive tests.

Central District Health prioritized contact tracing for high-risk groups; schools with vulnerable populations, congregate living facilities, long-term care residents, and people unable to receive the vaccine.

The state has guidance for several settings, including workplaces, schools, places of worship, and long-term care facilities with specific contact tracing steps if an individual tests positive or has been in close contact with a confirmed case.

In October 2021, the state Department of Public Health released a roadmap for contact tracing prioritization. It provides guidance to local health departments about how to modify practices and make appropriate adjustments to contact tracing programs during case surges and how to ramp up efforts when caseloads are lower.

In March 2021, the state health department and Board of Education updated guidelines to require all schools in the state to conduct contact tracing. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition.

State contact tracers are advising individuals infected with COVID-19 to separately reach out to their close contacts and direct them to the resources at coronavirus.in.gov, based on an assumption that people would be more inclined to respond to a known telephone number or text message from a friend.

Anyone who was within 6 feet with a COVID-19 infected person for a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24 hour period is considered a close contact.

As of December 2021, the state permits fully vaccinated close contacts to resume normal activities without quarantine, as long as they are masked. The state has shortened the quarantine period to 5 days.

Indiana law requires K-12 schools, prisons, and other congregate settings to report positive cases to the state department of health and conduct contact tracing.

In June 2021, the state released the Back to School Guidance, which outlines the state’s Communicable Disease Reporting Rule.  The Board of Education adoptedthe CDC guidelines on school reopening, including contact tracing guidelines. The state regularly updates COVID-19 decision trees for K-12 schools, which include guidance on contact tracing.

In August 2020, the state launched a COVID-19 hotline for schools to provide information and contact tracing toolkits.

Schools are reportedly following this model for contact tracing as well. The state is not requiring schools to contact trace.

When conducting tracing efforts, the state conducts initial contact tracing outreach via manual calls to positive cases and their contacts. Contact tracers offer to set up services, such as grocery deliveries, and share advice on how to safely social distance or quarantine.

In September 2021, in response to a rise in cases, Cedar Rapids schools shifted their contact tracing protocol. While not required by the state, this district conducts contract tracing, and students or staff members with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test are required to isolate for 10 days.

Anyone with direct physical contact or within six feet of someone who tested positive for more than 10 minutes over a cumulative 24 hours is considered a contact.

School guidance, as of December 2021, permits asymptomatic vaccinated students and staff to be exempt from quarantine. School staff are responsible for reporting positive cases to local health departments and conduct case investigations. The state requires schools to contact their local health department immediately after confirming a COVID-19 case. School staff should compile a list of close contacts and can notify parents and students they will be contacted by the local health department.

The state Department of Health and Environment advises prisons to do screening of inmates, staff, and visitors and requests all cases be immediately reported to the Health and Environment’s Epidemiology Hotline (monitored 24/7).

As of August 2021, the Laurel County Health Department is only conducting case investigations for people who test positive and is not reaching out to close contacts. They recommend positive cases notify their contacts themselves.

The state recommends contact tracers notify any restaurant or retail business if someone diagnosed with COVID-19 reports they visited that restaurant or retail business in the 14 days since being diagnosed and to provide additional guidance and next steps.

In July 2021, the state released K-12 school reopening guidelines, which encouraged schools to assist health departments with contact tracing. One school district launched a text messaging system to notify families of positive cases and close contacts.

In March 2021, the state announced that it will not require childcare facilities to shut down in the event of a possible exposure, as long as contact tracing is conducted.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person first became sick is considered a contact.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Contact Tracing program is using SMS text messaging to provide COVID-19-positive individuals, their contacts, and travelers to Louisiana with public health guidance and social services support while quarantined.

The state Department of Health released new guidelines for schools, pertaining to  contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. Individuals in close contact of an infected student may be contacted as part of the Office of Public Health contact tracing process. As of September 2021, students who are close contacts are no longer asked to quarantine after exposure.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes is considered a contact.

The state asks businesses that reopen to maintain contact information for customers and staff in case someone tests positive for the virus.

The state released guidelines for Maine schools, pertaining to contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine. Vaccinated students who are contact traced in the University of Maine system are exempt from quarantine requirements.

Those who test positive at home are encouraged to follow-up with a confirmatory test at a pharmacy or other testing site to allow for capture by the Maryland Department of Health, spurring formal contact tracing and ongoing follow-up. Otherwise, individuals should notify their close contacts, self-report their results via their at-home kit mobile app, and/or contact their local health department to report their positive result.

In December 2021, family gatherings were labeled high-risk settings as individuals prepared for the holidays.

The state released guidance and provides technical assistance for schools. Vaccinated and asymptomatic people do not need to quarantine. Students who were not wearing masks when exposed to an infected person should be excluded from school for the CDC standard quarantine, CDC shortened quarantine, or the state’s modified quarantine period. Modified quarantine options include weekly screening testing, correct and consistent use of well-fitting masks, and test-to-stay. As of March 2021, K-12 schools are able to participate in the state’s diagnostic screening program to test close contacts or symptomatic students identified through contact tracing; the state also released a guidebook for this program.

Various county public schools are working closely with local health departmentscollaborating on contact tracing efforts and other measures in order to remain open for in-person learning as they return from winter break and cases continue to rise.

As of December 2021, state-funded workers are no longer conducting contact tracing via the Community Tracing Collaborative (CTC), leaving local health departments to do their own. They have been advised to only do tracing in higher-risk settings, such as nursing homes, homeless shelters, and schools.  While some departments have opted to continue contact tracing most cases until it becomes overwhelming, others have opted to cut back in line with state guidelines.

From April 2020 to December 2021, the state conducted initial contact tracing outreach via manual tracing, first with text messaging and then by a telephone call to positive cases, presumptive positive cases, and their contacts.  During this time, local boards provided testing and quarantine support (through care resource coordinators) for infected individuals and their household members, and general information as needed.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 10 minutes beginning two calendar days before symptom onset is considered a contact.

Contact tracers are responsible for indicating when people who test positive can return to work. Local boards of health, with assistance from epidemiologists, conduct extensive investigations and contact tracing if clusters of cases emerge in long-term care facilities and nursing homes.

The state asks restaurants or bars to ask patrons for their name and phone number, but does not require the patron to comply.

District Health Department No. 10 noted that there are various resources for contact tracing across the state. The guidance an individual receives may vary depending on what specific contact tracers and case investigators are following.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released new guidelinesfor Michigan schools for the upcoming school year, including implementing contact tracing and quarantine, and collaborating with the local health department.

As cases continued to surge in December 2021, the Michigan Educators Rank-and-File Committee called for an immediate  end to in-person learning  as well as the full implementation of public health measures, including contact tracing.

Due to the surge in cases, as of November 2021, Marquette County Health Department has reevaluated its contact tracing efforts and focus on those at greatest risk (harm and hospitalization).

As of December 2021, Cook County is the only county in the state that handles its own contact tracing; all others leave it to the state. Officials believe calls from Cook public health employees and staff at Grand Portage Health Services have been more effective because the call to an infected person is coming from someone in the community. Contact tracers also appear on WTIP radio where they’re introduced so listeners know who might be calling them in case of an infection.

In September 2021, the state updated guidelines for middle and high schools, requiring daily documentation of student mealtime seating to support contact tracing in the event of an exposure.

The state has contact tracing guidelines for employers. It also has contact tracing guidelines for congregate settings, including shelters and drop-in centers.

As of September 2021, Olmsted County Public Health scaled back contact tracing due to increasing caseloads and conduct only targeted contact tracing to protect vulnerable groups such as residents of long-term care facilities.

In December 2021, school districts across the state announced updated school safety guidelines to support the continuance of in-person learning despite surges in cases. Some districts announced they will not be conducting contact tracing whereas other districts will continue contact tracing for students deemed close contacts.

The state recommends that schools continue contact tracing to identify individuals who are close contacts of a positive case within schools or at extracurricular activities. The state recommends that those who come within 6 feet of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period should quarantine. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

In December 2021, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt released letters to schools and local health departments (LDHs) asking for compliance with a court ruling from the previous month that struck down regulations giving LDHs the power to  impose COVID-19 public health orders. Some departments responded to the ruling by stopping all COVID-19 related work, including case investigations and contact tracing, while other counties have requested to appeal the ruling.

The state recommends individuals keep track of their contacts to assist in the contact tracing process using a downloadable contact tracing worksheet.

Prior to the Attorney General’s letter, the state required local public health agencies to prioritize notifying schools of positive cases among students so the school could assist in contact tracing. The state is offering a pooled screening program to schools during the 2021-2022 school year. To participate, schools must have a point of contact to coordinate with local health departments for contact tracing. The state adheres to the CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies. Fully vaccinated people who were in close contact but do not show symptoms of COVID-19 do not need to quarantine. Schools also have a “test to stay” quarantine response protocol.

In June 2021, contact tracing in Missouri counties was delayed as Missouri experienced a spike in delta variant cases. Because of the state’s surge in cases, a federal surge team began working with the state in July 2021 to help with testing and contact tracing, among other recovery supports.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes in the two days before onset of symptoms is considered a contact. In some counties, case managers can deliver food, medications, and other essentials to help people safely quarantine.

Missoula City-County Health Department officials expect another surge in cases beginning in 2022 and say they will continue using automated contact tracing and case investigation to speed up the process and support capacity during the process.

In December, the Cascade City-County Health Department announced that because case rates were low, the department would be taking the opportunity to refine its case investation and contact tracing processes in anticipation of another surge.

In October 2021, some counties have faced delays in contact tracing due to an increase in cases, with one reservation placed under partial shutdown in order to catch up on contact tracing.

In January 2021, the state legislature contracted with Lewis and Clack counties to provide a contact tracer solely dedicated to case investigation among members of the legislature.

Some county health and school departments have a 10-day quarantine period for close contacts. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

Initially, the state conducted initial contact tracing outreach via manual calls to positive cases and presumptive positive cases (if time and human resource capacity allow). Contact tracers notify contacts via SMS texts, email, phone, or letter and follow up for interviews by email or phone. After the initial call, contact tracers will monitor contacts of infected people for symptoms via daily phone calls for two weeks.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 10 minutes is considered a contact.  Contact tracers hand off cases that involve exposure in a congregate setting for a higher-level investigation given the high risk.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NEDHHS) recommends contact tracers send a thermometer to people who have tested positive and their close contacts, inquire about wraparound services, link to clinical services, and provide advice and instructions on how to quarantine.

In response to the fall surge, Three Rivers Public Health Department (3RPHD) is unable to call every positive case. 3RPHD texts positive cases over the age of 19 with Nebraska’s contact tracing survey. If the survey is not completed, the survey will be rerouted for a call with a 3RPHD staff member or a partner at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

In July 2021, Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) released a return to school plan with COVID-19 guidelines for the upcoming year. Contact tracing, isolation, and quarantines will be discontinued for NPS students and staff, individuals who are exposed or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be encouraged to stay home and get tested.

In April 2021, NEDHHS contracted with Creighton University to perform COVID-19 variant testing. Identified cases of COVID-19 variants become a priority for contact tracing.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes is considered a contact.

As the state is starting to see the omicron surge develop across the state in January 2022, officials are urging people who are experiencing symptoms but test negative using an at-home test to go receive a clinical test and help with contact tracing by responsibly reporting who they have been in contact with.

In August 2021, the state health department issued guidance for schools, including weekly screening testing for unvaccinated students and staff, reporting positive cases to public health authorities, and notification of teachers, staff, and families of students who were close contacts as soon as possible. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

In the event of an Omicron-driven surge, The Southern Nevada Health District stated it will use existing contact-tracing and quarantining strategies to minimize transmission.

The state focuses contact tracing efforts on the delta variant. The state also concluded its community contact tracing program for exposures in public settings, such as restaurants and workplaces in June 2021; other contact tracing efforts will continue.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommends long-term care facility staff conduct enhanced surveillance in the event that a resident tests positive and coordinate with their Cluster investigation team in the event of an outbreak.

The state issues a regularly updated toolkit for schools and childcare, instructing these groups to work with DHHS Congregate Settings Investigation Unit for contact tracing if a student or faculty tests positive.

After scaling back during the November 2020 surge, New Hampshire resumeduniversal contact tracing for new cases in February 2021.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes within a 24-hour period starting two days before symptoms emerged and up to 10 days after is considered a contact.

The state announced in December 2021 that, in response to a steep rise in cases, it will be sending free COVID-19 testing kits to the homes of residents who request them. These self-administered PCR test kits will include pre-paid UPS packaging and must be mailed back to the state health department, where results will automatically be shared with public health authorities to assist in contact tracing.

Contact tracers connect those who need help with additional support, including securing living situations for those who cannot safely quarantine at home.

In August 2021, the state released guidance for institutions of higher education, indicating that the institutions should work with local health departments for contact tracing.

As of July 2021, with the delta variant surge in cases, contact tracers are attempting to contact all new cases. Between November 14-20, contact tracers reached 77% of new cases.

New Jersey Department of Health updated their guidance in July 2021 noting that close contacts who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine as long as they are asymptomatic.

As of November 2021, the state is stepping up monitoring and contact tracing at theNewark Liberty International Airport as travelers arrive amid the anticipated Omicron-surge.

In anticipation of case surges in January 2022, the New Jersay Department of Health has distributed guidance to all district and school leaders regarding the Test to Stay option to ensure the schools can remain in-person. Test to Stay combines contact tracing and serial testing to allow asymptomatic students designated as a close contact of another, positive student to remain in school if they test negative. Should a school opt into Test to Stay, they must have robust contact tracing and testing practices already in place.

The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

In December 2021, the New Mexico Department of Health noted that contact tracing has become more difficult and overwhelming as the daily number of cases remains high. The department encourages people to use NM Notify, the state’s exposure notification app, to reduce the burden for contact tracers.

Restaurants are  required to keep logs of customers for contact tracing purposes. Businesses also participate in surveillance testing and contact tracing with the Department of Health to avoid closures. Essential businesses can avoid mandatory closures if they regularly test employees and help with state contact tracing efforts.

The state has a toolkit for schools, covering required surveillance testing and protocols to facilitate contact tracing such as cohorting.

As of December 2021, multiple counties have announced that a surge in new cases of COVID-19 has exceeded their capacity to individually contact all positive and exposed cases. The continuance of contact tracing calls varies across counties, but standard recommendations across the state are that individuals who test positive  are advised to self-isolate and notify their own contacts, while those who have been exposed to a positive case are being asked to self-quarantine.

In December 2021, various counties announced they will now provide self-attestation forms that can be used to complete the contact tracing process and for release from quarantine as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state.

In response to a surge due to Omicron, the Tompkins County Health Department is prioritizing household and congregate contacts due to limited capacity.

In New York City, anyone with a positive at-home test is encouraged to call 212-COVID-19 immediately so the city can effectively contact trace.

The state is stepping up monitoring and contact tracing at airports as international travelers arrive amid the anticipated Omicron-surge.

Ulster County declared a state of emergency in November 2021 with the intention to free up county resources to deploy county workers to helpwith vaccinations and  contact tracing in the event of an Omicron-surge.

In September 2021, the state released guidance  for schools based on national recommendations, including collaborating with local health authorities for contact tracing. The state requires schools to report positive tests and regularly test for COVID-19.  The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

When 70% of New Yorkers aged 18 or older received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination series in June 2021, collecting contact information for tracing purposes became optional for retail, food services, offices, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops and personal care services.

New York City traces contacts over the phone and through “accelerated contact tracing” (ACT). The program’s engagement specialists conduct on-the-spot contact tracing at sites with rapid COVID tests and mobile testing units in order to help neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes is considered a contact. They do not identify the individual who tested positive, nor if that person was infected with a variant strain.

Contact tracers connect people with supports and offer information about how to keep their family safe while staying at home.

The state’s updated guidance says that public and private schools are legally required to cooperate with local health departments regarding COVID-19. Under law, schools are required to work with local health departments to identify, contact trace, and exclude children who may have contracted the disease, and also to identify those who have been exposed.

In Decemner 2021, the Dare County Department of Health and Human Servicesexperienced widespread community transmission of COVID-19 and announced that their reported positive cases will only include laboratory confirmed cases but that contact tracing will still be conducted for positive self-reported cases.

In February 2021, the state released contact tracing procedures for schools; these were updated in November 2021.

In December 2021, leaders in Union County and Henderson County voted to move forward with resolutions requesting the state reevaluate its protocols and end COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine for students.

In December 2021, the state updated its guidance for contact tracing in non-healthcare workplaces. Employers are recommended to work with confirmed cases and notify their close contacts while maintaining confidentiality as the state Department of Helath no longer notifies employers of cases within the workplace. The state also updated its COVID-19 and Childcare—Questions and Answersdocument, which includes close contact and quarantine recommendations.

In August 2021, the state released information for schools about a screening/testing program for the 2021-2022 school year. Schools are encouraged to continue to participate in contact tracing.

The state of emergency in North Dakota ended April 29 2021, but the North Dakota Department of Health announced they would continue key services including contact tracing.

In March 2021, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced it would allow in-person visits to prisons. Visitor names will be providedto the Department of Health for any necessary contact tracing.

In November 2021, West Fargo School Board clarified its stance on COVID-19 mitigation measures as positive cases began exceeding thresholds. These measures include beginning contact tracing once two positive cases are linked in a classroom and defining close contact as being within six feet  for at least 15 minutes.

The Ohio Department of Health is updating its system to allow local health departments to enter information about where an infected person was in contact with people prior to their positive test.

The state is adopting a “backward” contact tracing approach, in an attempt to identify the source of each case, instead of only identifying close contacts, to prevent future spread.

The state has guidance for schools, which include instructions for contact tracing.The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies. It also has guidance for quarantine after exposure to positive cases in school settings.

Individuals with cell phones provide basic information during testing, including their phone number. They will then receive a text and link to access test results and a record portal to add any contacts they interacted with during their infectious period. Any contact added will then receive a text prompt to complete their own contact interview.

Individuals will also receive downloadable letters to give employers or schools as well as information on how to quarantine and/or isolate.

Case investigations involve two automated surveys—a risk assessment and  abbreviated survey covering recent travel, hospitalization, and vaccination status. Oklahoma Department of Health’s weekly COVID-19 report also reports on number of breakthrough cases.

In July 2021 the state released guidance for schools, including contact tracing among the 5 priority prevention strategies.  The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

Oklahoma City Public Schools are required to conduct contact tracing if an unvaccinated person comes in close contact with another person who tests positive. Bixby Public Schools, near Tulsa, ended its contact tracing program citing overworked staff.

Contact tracers connect people with case managers who offer supports to make sure that people who must isolate or quarantine have access to needed services, such as food, shelter, mental health care, and more. The state also provides a resource packet that includes a thermometer.

The state recommends testing all asymptomatic employees and residents in group-living situations in which someone is suspected to have COVID-19. The state recommends that long-term care, assisted living, and residential care facilities    develop and implement plans for ongoing monitoring.

The state has investigative guidelines that recommend contact tracers focus on vulnerable populations during surge periods. In non-surge periods local public health authorities should resume full contact tracing.

The state’s 2021-2022 guidance for schools advises schools keep contact tracinglogs. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

The state also created a toolkit for schools which outlines scenarios in which contact tracing is recommended.

Some counties experiencing case surges prioritize contact tracing for workplace outbreaks and congregate care settings.

Community health nurses provide information on isolation, asymptomatic transmission, and how to monitor symptoms. Contact tracers notify individuals who may have been exposed in congregate settings and  follow up with the respective facilities where the congregation took place. Contact tracers are also playing a large role in educating individuals.

The state has prioritized contact tracing to populations considered  most vulnerable and cases that could lead to greater community spread.

Contact tracing at long-term care facilities is conducted by individual county health departments.

The state offers pooled testing for schools during the 2021-2022 school year. In January 2022, amid case spikes and Philadelphia schools going virtual, one district is considering a plan to provide additional pay to 18 teachers, aides, counselors, and other support staff to conduct after-hours contact tracing to assist overwhelmed school nurses.

The state uses a text-based contact tracing system enabling residents to fill out an online form, providing contact information for close contacts. The system will automatically text the list of people, informing them they must self-quarantine. The system is not designed to replace human contact tracers but to supplement the contact tracing work.

The state released guidance for the 2021-2022 school year, including recommending schools maintain seating charts to facilitate contact tracing.

According to the state’s guidance, close contacts may also be exempt from quarantine if they are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days. There are also quarantine exemptions for K-12 students if they meet certain criteria. School administrators have been tasked with contact tracing in schools by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Contact tracers refer positive cases and contacts to supportive services, including medical and social services.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) recommends that any residents in residential treatment facilities for children and adolescents who were recently cared for by a staff member who tested positive be restricted to their rooms and monitored for symptoms. SCDHEC recommends that adult day care facilities keep logs of names and contact information for all staff, participants, visitors, and vendors in case the DHEC needs to contact them.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (DEC) conducts contact tracing if an inmate or staff tests positive in a correctional facility. The DEC built an app to assist with tracking infections among prison staff.

The state released guidance for schools for the 2021-2022 school year, including recommending contact tracing as a critical strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The state department of education says funding has been made available for every school to have a full-time nurse who can help with contact tracing.

In October 2021, the SCDHEC updated its school guidelines for what is considered close contact, changing how quarantines are determined. Students exposed to someone who is COVID-positive are no longer considered in close contact if they are wearing a mask and more than three feet away. Before, both the infected student and the student exposed had to be wearing masks within three to six feet of one another to avoid quarantine of the exposed student.

For the 2021 school year, the Sioux Falls School District has changed its contact tracing process. Last year, school staff did contact tracing, but this year, it is up to the state. Once the state department receives close contact information, families can expect a text within 24 to 28 hours.

In September 2021, the Brookings School District made modifications to its contact tracing procedures. They recommend that students and staff do not need to quarantine as a close contact if they meet one of the following criteria: 1) fully vaccinated; 2) had a positive antibody test within 90 days; 3) had a positive COVID test within the last 90 days; or 4) were consistently and properly wearing a mask throughout the entire school day.

The Tennessee Department of Health provides recommendations for long-term care facilities.

It is the local public health department’s responsibility to perform contact tracing inschools and universities. When a school is notified of a confirmed case, it should contact the local health department to provide contact information and other details about the case. The local health department then recommends ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the school. In its school contact tracing protocol, the health department notes that contact tracing in schools is most efficient and effective with the partnership of school staff.

In February 2021, Shelby County Health Department launched case notification via text messaging.  Staff text anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 with a link to an online case investigation/contact tracing questionnaire.

A new law, passed in December 2021, bans contact tracing and mask mandates in K-12 schools.

The state released guidance for schools indicating that contact tracing is not required for schools in the 2021-2022 school year. Local health authorities have the authority to investigate cases.

The state sends automated text messages and emails to positive cases and contacts of positive cases who do not answer an initial phone call from contact tracers. The text message or email includes a link to a secure form where the person can provide contact tracing information electronically.

During surge periods, the state may not conduct contact tracing and recommends people quarantine immediately when they know they’ve been exposed to COVID-19.

In September 2021, the state began automated contact tracing for 7th to 12th graders. The automated system sends texts or email notifications to parents or guardians and contains a link to a questionnaire for contact tracing. This is a temporary change until the caseload lightens.

The state recommends that businesses work with the state to conduct contract tracing.

The state asks each school to designate a point of contact to work with the health department on contact tracing. The state health department said that vaccinated students do not have to quarantine if they were identified as close contacts, allowing them to stay in school. Schools are required to do a Test to Stay event within 14 days of  2% of students testing positive in schools with 1,500 or more students. Schools with fewer than 1,500 students are required to do a Test to Stay event within 14 days of  30 students testing positive. Schools will work with local health departments to offer testing for all students.

As of December 2021, the state has linked databases of positive COVID-19 cases with the state K-12 enrollment databases to provide more accurate information about where outbreaks are taking place even if contact tracing cannot be carried out.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes is considered a contact. The state also asks for contacts starting 14 days before someone began showing symptoms. Contacts may receive a text message prior to receiving a call.

The state relies on a rapid response team, made up of Health Department staff and state partners, to conduct contact tracing in long-term care and group living settingsif a case of COVID-19 is found.

In October 2021, the state announced a new program to provide PCR and rapid antigen tests to schools across the state. Unvaccinated students who are close contacts of a positive case will not be required to quarantine if they test negative and remain asymptomatic for 7 days post exposure.

In November 2021, the union representing educators at the University of Vermont submitted demands that the school carry out additional contact tracing.

During outreach, contact tracers also attempt to enroll cases into the Sara Alert system.

This software is used to conduct symptom monitoring through text or email. The contact tracer will provide education, information, and support to help those who might have been exposed.

The state does not require individuals who have been fully vaccinnated to quarantine as long as they do not have have symptoms.

The state adopted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance around contact tracing prioritization to help deal with a surge in cases. The state prioritizes recently diagnosed individuals and their household members, people living or working in congregate living facilities, people in known clusters or outbreaks, and people at increased risk of severe illness.

The state recommends that non-healthcare congregate settings maintain a visitor log to assist with contact tracing.

If a school or child care facility is operating in-person, the state requires school and child care personnel to participate in contact tracing investigations. In K–12 schools, contact tracing includes working with school staff to obtain class schedules, seating charts, and other information. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

As of September 2021, Fairfax County Public Schools has hired COVID case managers to monitor and manage school data, contact families, and communicate with the health department.

In September 2021, the Blue Ridge Health District announced that it is prioritizing cases who may be at greater risk of exposure, are not eligible to receive a vaccine, or may expose a larger number of people. Due to a surge in school cases, the health district has turned over contact tracing to schools.

In August 2021 the health department developed nearly 200 new, setting-specific positions for case investigators and contact tracers that will work closely with schools, nursing homes, jails, and prisons. The health and education departmentsare working to launch a new testing program. Schools are expected to assist health officials in contact tracing efforts.

Anyone within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period is considered a contact.

The state’s 2021-2022 school guidance indicates that schools must ensure access to testing and recommends screening testing programs. Schools are expected to cooperate with health authorities for contact tracing. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies. The state also has an outdoor classrooms exception.

Schools may use this case and close contact reporting line list template to gather information and other resources provided in guidance released by the state to notify parent/guardians, staff, and students of quarantine notifications or school closures. The state provides a toolkit for case investigation for schools. Schools may choose to use a Test to Stay program to reduce exclusion of close contacts from in-person instruction.

Fall 2021 guidance for schools indicates that schools are expected to collaborate with local health departments for contact tracing and are encouraged to consider hiring someone (service employee, part-time, or contract with health department or other agency) to collaborate with the local health department and the central office to conduct school-level contact tracing. The state made funding available through a grant to assist in hiring these positions. Quarantine requirements differ by vaccination and mask-wearing.

The West Virginia teacher’s union is suing Putnam County Board of Education after the Board implemented new guidelines which no longer require contact tracing in schools.

In November 2021, the Wood County Health Department entered “crisis mode,” unable to contact all positive cases and their contacts. Some people will now be offered an online interview option, where they can provide information without a phone call. This option will be sent as a link through a text message that includes contact information for a disease specialist should they have any questions or concerns

A contact is anyone who had direct physical contact with the positive case, was within six feet for more than 15 minutes over a 24 hour period, had contact with the person’s respiratory secretions, or had direct physical contact. Those who cared for, lived with, or stayed overnight for at least one night in a household with a positive case are also considered a contact.

The state issued guidance for the 2021-2022 school year that indicates schools should cooperate with state and local health authorities for contact tracing. Districts are encouraged to work with their local health departments to develop contact tracing protocols. The state also indicated that licensed school-based health care professionals may not need to quarantine when considered a close contact if they are fully vaccinated or were wearing full PPE. The state offers a K-12 testing program that schools may opt into. The state adheres to CDC’s exception to the close contact definition, which excludes students in K-12 classrooms who are within 3-6 feet of an infected student with masking and other prevention strategies.

In December 2021, the Medford School Board approved a plan to let contact traced students stay in school provided they wore masks and practiced social distancing and other safety measures.

Guidance to schools for the 2021-2022 school year indicates that the state health department can provide funding to support COVID-19 testing in schools, including for additional school staff to conduct testing, coordinate the testing program, and/or manage the testing data generated as well as providing physical space to conduct testing or making modifications or improvements to existing space to allow for safe testing.

In addition to health department staff, partners contributing staff include the Anchorage Health Department, school districts, nonprofits, tribal health organizations, a hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arctic Investigations Program, the Alaska National Guard, the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Center for Rural Health and Workforce, and AM Trace, a public health firm.

A partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage’s College of Health added training capacity, and new partnerships with community health centers and a workforce and technology company, Rose International, Inc. expanded the contact tracing workforce.

In July 2020, Pima County began contracting with a private company, Maximus Health Services, to hire at least 150 contact tracers. In April 2021, the county extended the contract to January 2022.

An audit conducted in April 2021 of the California Department of Public Health (DPH) revealed that while the department exceeded testing targets, statewide contact tracing efforts are lagging. The state auditor recommended that DPH update contact tracing protocols by May 2021.

Local governments trained public workers and police in Denver to conduct contact tracing. The state hired AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members to support the state’s COVID-19 response, including contact tracing.

A volunteer group of public health professionals, the Colorado Public Health Workforce Collaborative, provides support to local public health agencies by recruiting and training a contact tracing workforce, monitoring the rollout of contact tracing, and facilitating complementary containment activities.

As of July 2021, the district reported having 150 contact tracers throughout the pandemic.

DC Code 7-139.01 states that the DC Department of Health must establish a goal that at least 50% of their contact investigators must be DC residents, and at least 25% of investigators should come from a workforce development or adult education program funded or administered by the District of Columbia. This legislation is set to expire February 4, 2022.

School districts have also helped conduct contact tracing  and have closely partnered with their local health departments.

As of September 2021, local public health students are working as part of the Clarke County School District’s contact tracing team.

In December 2021, the governor re-established the Hawaii National Guard Joint Task Force which will continue providing support for contact tracing.

The number of contact tracers  reported by the Department of Health is under dispute in a lawsuit filed in July 2021 by the former lead epidemiologist.

In August 2021, the state also began seeking volunteersto assist with contact tracing and other roles in its COVID-19 response plan.

The state has a grant program called COVID-19 Pandemic Health Navigator Program, to fund regional coordinators to provide contact tracing support to the Illinois Contact Tracing Collaborative.

Cook County launched the Suburban Cook County COVID-19 Contact Tracing Initiative to focus on contact tracing for priority populations.

Chicago contact tracers include staff from local health departments, health care and community-based organizations, and schools.

Tracers take a three- to four-hour online training course provided by the American State and Territorial Health Officers.

In March 2021, the state started providing mental health support to contact tracing staff through the state’s FEMA-funded Crisis Counseling Program.

In May 2020, the state shifted staffing for contact tracing  to a private company, Maximus. Public health students and epidemiologists at the state health department assist the contact tracers, if needed.

In September 2021 the state reported onboarding an additional 150 case investigators and 53 contact monitors (for a total of 210 case investigators and 107 monitors overall). Many are retraining staff, but others are hiring new staff.

University of Louisville students, trained through the Johns Hopkins University online contact tracing course, are also involved with state and city contact tracing. A social support coordinator assists with any daily needs, such as groceries, a person may require help with while isolating.

The state health department is working with Deloitte on the statewide contract tracing effort. The state also partners with over 20 vendors to hire and train contact tracers.

The state contracts with Accenture and Salesforce to manage the contact tracing process and create an electronic contact tracing platform.

The state uses four Louisiana-based call centers and two hiring agencies. The training for these contact tracers is managed by Louisiana State University.

The state hired Volunteers of America to help coordinate needs assessment teams across the state.

As of March 2021, college athletic trainers also act as contact tracers for student athletes, coaches, and staff.

School nurses act as Maine CDC’s primary point of contact for families and confirmed cases at schools.

One local health department reassigned school nurses and disease prevention and behavioral health nurses. Anotherpartnered with a community college to hire and train contact tracers.

American Rescue Plan Act funds will support 100 contact tracing positions in Baltimore. The city ran a pilot for theBaltimore Health Corps to increase contact tracing capacity, as well as create jobs for trusted community members with racially equitable hiring and career development possibilities.

With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Open Society Institute—Baltimore, and the Johns Hopkins Health System, the health department expanded their workforce from 15 to a total of 250 contact tracer positions.

Due to staff shortages, Arundel County leaders are looking to focus contact tracing efforts on vulnerable areas, incuding child care and assisted living.

In August 2021, the CTC reported having 175 contact tracers.

Student volunteers from schools of public health from the state’s colleges and universities are also participating as part of the Academic Public Health Volunteer Corps. The state health department maintains the data and oversees the processes.

Massachusetts health workers told the state legislature they are feeling exhausted and burnt out from nearly two years of round-the-clock COVID-19 efforts, including contact tracing. The Community Tracking Collaborative closed before communities could hire contact tracers, leaving gaps in contact tracing efforts throughout the state.

State health officials say burnout and the stress of public scrutiny are leading to unprecedented turnover and low rates of retention among new staff, making trace investigations more difficult to conduct.

As of May 2021, the state reported having 100 contact tracers.

As of September 2021, it was reported that the state had 522 contact tracers on staff.

Rose International is providing support and hiring staff on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Health.

At least one health system has assisted with contact tracing.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, superintendents of the state’s public school districts have been left to conduct contact tracing missions to identify children who’ve been exposed to COVID-19, among other nontraditional roles. In recent months, the state has seen an increase in early retirement and resignations stating overwhelm as a primary cause for leaving.

All contact tracers are trained in Missouri’s Advanced Contact Tracing System, a central system that manages tracing and investigations.

An issue brief published September 2021 reported that local public health agencies have not had adequate capacity and resources for contact tracing throughout the pandemic.

The Montana Public Health Training Center and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Resources is offering a Montana Public Health Contact Tracing Certificate course tailored specifically to the state of Montana. Those that obtain a certificate are eligible to volunteer with the state for pay. As of January 2021, almost 300 people have completed the course.

The state also works with Nelnet and North End Teleservices to staff contact tracing positions.

As of November 2021, the state reported having trained around 1,000 state teammates to perform contact tracing.

In December 2021, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported that the community is experiencing an influx of positive cases, causing difficulty with maintaining efficient, effective contact tracing.

The Washoe County Health District conducts contact tracing work for the state and partners with the University of Nevada – Reno to handle the work.

The Washoe County Health Department increased their contact tracing capabilities in preparation for a potential fall surge. As of August 2021, they can only handle contact tracing for about 100 cases per day when they are at full capacity. As a result of understaffing, they are prioritizing cases involving children.

As of May 2021, the state reported having about 600 contact tracers, many of whom are students in the Nevada System of Higher Education.

The state developed a Community Contact Tracing Corpsthrough a two-stage approach. In stage one, the state partnered with the state’s higher education institutions to train public health graduate students and alumna. For stage two, the state contracted with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to recruit, train, and manage tracers deployed to areas with increasing COVID-19 cases. Staff recruited by PCG are required to complete the contact tracing training developed with Rutgers School of Public Health.

Navajo Nation also has its own contact tracing programthrough the Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment (COPE), a Native-led nonprofit based in Gallup, New Mexico. It leverages an existing mobile app developed in partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital that was originally used to follow up with cancer patients.

The state reported having 300 contact tracers in October 2020.

Bloomberg Philanthropies helps the state health department recruit potential contact tracers for the program. The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health developed an online curriculum. The nonprofit Vital Strategies provides technical and operational advising.

New York City’s public hospital system hired 1,305 technical specialists, which included staff for testing and contact tracing.

More than 800 contact tracers are focused on Long Island due to delta variant cases.

NYC’s Test and Trace Corps is informing the creation of the city’s Public Health Corps turning contact tracers into community health workers.

In January 2022, Erie County reported it had scaled back its contact tracers from 100 workers to roughly 25 active case investigators.

The state is part of the Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative, partnering with Community Care of North Carolina and the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers. These organizations work with the nonprofit Partners in Health to coordinate with and build on contact tracing workforce in the local health departments. The state recruits those who are unemployed, have community engagement experience, and live in the communities that they  serve.

In collaboration with Community Care of North Carolina, the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program created an onboarding training curriculum that local health departments can use to train volunteers and other staff as contact tracers or case investigators.

In November 2021, the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education reversed course with a vote to resume COVID-19 contact tracing efforts in partnership with the local health department. The vote removed nurses from tracing efforts, instead placing responsibility on teachers and the administration.

As of September 2021, about 50 members from the National Guard resumed contact tracing efforts to assist the state’s health department and 15 others are helping at the state laboratory in Bismark. The group is expected to remain in active duty until the end of the year.

As of May 2021, the state reported having about 570 contact tracers from the Department of Health, University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, and local public health units.

Contact tracers are also helping set up vaccine appointments.

Some local health departments contracted with Public Consulting Group to conduct contact tracing.

Various local schools utilized staffing agencies such as ProLink Healthcare to hire additional nurses and bolster contact tracing capacity.

In December 2020, the state closed its centralized state contact tracting location in Oklahoma City, which employed 400 staff. A state legislative report released in March 2021 on contact tracing found the contact tracing efforts in the state led to no insights, was marred by technology issues, and failed to collect proper data.

The Oregon COVID-19 Contact Collaborative is a joint contact tracing effort with Oregon Health Authority, local health authorities, health districts, tribal authorities and community-based organizations (including advocacy and community health worker groups). Tracing Health, a program launched by a nonprofit called Oregon Public Health Institute, helps counties recruit and train contact tracers. Tracing Health uses a health equity approachwhich matches contact tracers with communities based on language.

The state created the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps, which bolsters local and community contact tracing efforts.

Regional consortiums will assess the number of contact tracers needed in each area of the state, as well as recruit more staff and coordinate efforts accordingly.

The state is carrying out its contact tracing efforts in partnership with the National Guard and using a platform created by SalesForce. Pharmacy and medical students are also involved.

In June 2021, Piedmont Technical College (PTC) offered a contact tracing course that it developed in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Those who complete the four-week course receive an ASTHO contact tracing certificate. PTC plans to offer one contact tracing course every month.

As of May 2021, the state reported it had more than 740 individuals trained to perform case investigations, supplemented by 230 active contact monitors. In total, 600 contact monitors have been trained to date and will be deployed as needed.

The state has trained 369 contact tracers. The state previously expanded its contact tracing workforce by reassigning staff from the health department and other agencies and partnering with the National Guard. In September 2021, over 100 contact tracers were reported in the state.

Many of those are provided through an Xtend Healthcare contract. Other employees were brought on through Medasource to help with contact tracing and case investigation.

The Metro Public Health Department replaced 50 contact tracers with an automated messaging platform called Teletask with the goal of using savings to add staff to the county’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.  In August 2021, the Metro Health Department reported hiring additional contact tracing staff to address the surge in cases.

Two counties are working with local universities to increase their staffing. One county is also working with Texas A&M University School of Public Health’s Department to develop a larger increase in their pool of epidemiologists. Another county is working with the University of North Texas to recruit 90 students as part-time contact tracers.

UT Health Austin’s contact tracing department does contact tracing for UT Austin students, and works with Austin Public Health, which does contact tracing more broadly.

Navajo Nation also has its own contact tracing programthrough the Community Outreach and Patient Empowerment (COPE), a Native-led nonprofit based in Gallup, New Mexico. It leverages an existing mobile app developed in partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital that was originally used to follow up with cancer patients. As of January 2021, Navajo Nation reported having 661 contact tracers.

In November 2020, the University of Utah deployed 200 contact tracers to the state through a partnership agreement to train and field contact tracers.

As of September 2021, the state says they had to fill the gap in contact tracers due to their contractor failing to increase their workfoce sufficiently with the surge. The state will continue to add state workers, National Guard, and contracted employees to their contact tracing staff as needed.

The state also has three case managers who follow up with positive cases and contacts to link them to resources, such as grocery shopping.

The governor established the Vermont Enhanced Testing and Tracing Task Forces that include experts from the Department of Health and agencies affiliated with the Human Services and Digital Services, to monitor technological and workforce needs going forward.

In April 2021, the state partnered with Applied Memetics, LLC to provide upto 75 full-time contact tracers. The state provides training to these staff and continue to lead the contact tracing effort.

To address the surge in cases caused by the delta variant, health workers previously deployed for contact tracing are being called back and the company hired to outsource contact tracers is adding employees.

Multiple universities have taken on contact tracing for their respective campuses. The University of Virginia partnered with its local health district to fund seven new positions for contact tracing on campus. Virginia Commonwealth University and the state have partnered to form a campus contact tracing team, and Virginia Tech has implemented a Case Management Team to assist with contact tracing and coordinating quarantining  and isolation on campus.

As of May 2021, the local health jurisdiction of King County reported having 54 contact tracers on staff.

As of May 2021, the state reported having  616 contact tracers.

The National Guard assists with contact tracing (along with  food delivery and personal protective equipment procurement and distribution). The state health department also partnered with West Virginia University to develop an online class to train contact tracers and certify them through the Association of State and Territorial Health officials.

Health Connections Incorporated won a grant from the state to provide targeted onsite testing, contact tracing, and mental health and basic needs assessments to African American populations in Milwaukee County who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

The app was developed by the Birmingham-based tech company MotionMobs in collaboration with the state health department and the University of Alabama at Birmingham where it was piloted before being released statewide.

As of August 2021, 285,000 people have downloaded the app. The state has joined the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server, which allows GuideSafe to download keys from other exposure notification apps on the server.

As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state uses the DiMagi/CommCare application to manage information for COVID-19 cases and contacts, coordinate work, and measure and improve contact tracing efforts.

Contact tracers record data for contacts of positive cases using a Qualtrics survey tool.

The state released Covid Watch Arizona, an anonymous exposure notification app,which is a joint project of the University of Arizona and WeHealth that uses Bluetooth technology developed by Apple and Google to log Bluetooth signals of other nearby users.

The state has joined the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server, which allows COVID Watch Arizona to download keys from other exposure notification apps on the server.  As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

As of August 2021, the app had been downloaded 93,000 times, but the state’s largest COVID-19 testing lab, Sonora Quest, and Labcorp no longer use the app to send verification codes to users.

In July 2021, the state ended its digital contact tracing program, but the app is still available for download.

The state partnered with Accenture to launch a system using Salesforce and Amazon Connect for case management.

The state uses the “Virtual Assistant,” an automated system from California Connected. The system sends texts with a link to chat with the Virtual Assistant, and can also provide contact tracing surveys, FAQs, and a symptom monitoring system.

The state launched CA Notify in December 2020. The app detects whether participants were near someone with COVID-19 via Bluetooth. As of December 2021, the system has reportedly been activated on over 15 million devices. Of the approximately 3.9 million cases since the app’s launch, 3% have been logged on the system. The state allocated $2 million to the app. An estimated 102,000 users who tested positive have used the system to alert others.

The CA Notify app is part of the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server, which allows it to download keys from other exposure notification apps that are on the server.

As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state uses a mobile service application in partnership with Google and Apple called CO Exposure Notifications. The app uses Bluetooth to sense whether a user’s device has been within six feet of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or longer in a given period. As of December 2021, over 3 million people havedownloaded the app.

The state is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. The state’s exposure notification app can download the keys or codes of any other state’s exposure notification app if they are both participating.  As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state uses Google and Apple’s exposure notification app, COVID Alert CT, which uses Bluetooth to sense whether a user’s device has been within six feet of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more in one day. If a user tests positive, a contact tracer (working for a state, local health department, or higher education institution) will manually ask the case to share the “close contact” codes their app has logged while they were contagious. If the user agrees, those who met the close contact criteria for the app will receive an alert notifying them that they were a close contact of an anonymous case.

The state is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. The state’s exposure notification app is on the National Key Server, which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The health department added new features to its technology system for managing contact tracing information, including logging individuals’ location and time of activities. This allows possible clusters of cases to be identified.

In September 2020, DC rolled out an app based on Exposure Notification Express created by Apple and Google. The app allows users to receive notifications if they’ve been exposed to another user who tests positive for COVID-19. As of December 2021, users can self-report a positive test on the app. As of November 2021, 1,337,726 people had opted in to the official exposure notification system.

DC is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. DC’s exposure notification app can download the keys or codes of any other state’s exposure notification app if they are both participating. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

In September 2020, the state launched an app, COVID Alert DE, that uses Bluetooth technology to alert users they have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The state is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. The state’s exposure notification app can download the keys or codes of any other state’s exposure notification app if they are both participating.

As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

In April 2021, the state launched the Stronger Than C-19 community action survey. The anonymous survey is designed to gather information that helps the state track COVID-19 to improve the distribution of resources and initiatives across the state.

In winter 2020/2021  the state began using the Healthy Together mobile app for contact tracing. Use of the app is voluntary and relies on location and Bluetooth data.

Several counties use an exposure notification app, CombatCOVID, which notifies users if they have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Georgia Tech uses the NOVID exposure notification app, which uses Bluetooth and sound waves to detect distance between two phones using the app and logs the anonymous codes of phones that are within six feet for more than 15 minutes. The app is voluntary for students, faculty, and staff on campus.

The state uses two local apps called AlohaSafe Story, which uses GPS technology to log the user’s location, and AlohaSafe Alert, which anonymously records contacts through Bluetooth and Google/Apple Exposure Notification  technology.

The state also participates in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. The state’s exposure notification app can download the keys or codes of any other state’s exposure notification app if they are both participating. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

In September 2021 the Southwest district launched a new COVID-19 data collection tool for self-reporting positive tests.

In March 2021, Marion County put out a contact tracing plan requiring all NCAA staff and athletes to wear a contact tracing device called SafeTag during the men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis.

As of August 2020, the state rolled out GovConnect Contact Tracing software as a comprehensive case management system for COVID-19.

The state uses a COVID-19 tracing app called COVID Defense. The free app uses Bluetooth technology to send exposure alerts to contacts.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Contact Tracing program is using SMS text messaging to provide COVID-19 positive individuals, their contacts, and travelers to the state with advice and support about infection, isolation and quarantine, how to protect their own health and that of others, and assistance in meeting basic needs while quarantined.

The contact tracers also collect personal information from individuals through SMS text messaging about their COVID-19 symptoms, health, isolation, and quarantine plans.

In September 2021, researchers at Louisiana State University released the GeauxTrace app, which uses a smartphone’s Bluetooth technology to alert those who have been in proximity with positive cases of COVID-19.

The Maine Centers for Disease Prevention and Control sends text messages to individuals who test positive for COVID-19. Individuals must opt in to receive the text messages.

In December 2021, the state’s COVID-19 dashboard experienced a cyberattack amid a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, limiting the Department of Health’s (MDH) ability to input COVID-19 case data. After nearly two weeks offline, contact tracing was able to resume in full force when the primary lab feeds from MDH were reestablished to CovidLink for contact tracing.

The state is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server. The state’s exposure notification app, MD COVID Alert, can download the keys and codes of any other state’s exposure notification app via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology if they are both participating.

As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

As of October 2021, the University of Maryland suspended its use of QR codesat individual desks in classrooms and lecture halls to help with in-class contact tracing.

Salesforce helps capture data from case investigations and contact tracing. Data from Salesforce are uploaded to MAVEN, the state disease surveillance system, daily. Testing facilities also report cases and contact info to MAVEN.

The state uses  the MassNotify App, which builds on Apple and Google’s automated exposure notification platform using Bluetooth technology. When two people using MassNotify are near each other, their phones exchange random anonymous codes using Bluetooth. When a person tests positive for COVID-19, they receive a text message with instructions on how to anonymously share their test result with other users. MassNotify users who were near the person who tested positive may receive an anonymous alert about possible exposure. The alert will have a link to guidance on how to protect themselves and others. As of December 2021, 1.74 million people had enabled MassNotify, (about 25.2% of the population).

The state uses MI COVID Alert, an appbased on Apple and Google’s exposure notification platform using Bluetooth technology. Users who test positive receive a PIN that enables them to see their test results. Close contacts, defined as other app users within six feet of the person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes, receive a notification that they are a close contact of an anonymous case after the test results are manually entered into the system.

The state is a participant in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server.  The state’s exposure notification app can download the keys and codes of any other state’s exposure notification app if they are both participating. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

As of December 2021, the Central Michigan District Health Department is using a secure text message notification system, TigerConnect,  to inform individuals of positive COVID-19 results and begin contact tracing. The system allows for streamlined, more timely communication between positive cases and case investigators  as cases continue to rise.

The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association produced two mobile applications called “Temp Protect” and “Guest Protect” to help restaurants meet state requirements for screening staff and collecting guests’ contact information.

HealthPartners and the University of Minnesota developed a mobile applicationcalled SafeDistance. Clinicians at HealthPartners are encouraging patients and the public in the Twin Cities area to use the application.

In November 2020, the state launched COVIDAware MN, an app that notifies people when their phone has been in close proximity to the phone of a person with COVID-19 for enough time to be considered a close contact.

COVIDAware MN participates in the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server, which allows the state to download keys from other exposure notification apps that are on the server.

The Electronic COVID-19 Case Reporting System allows medical providers and required reporting entities to enter positive case information.

EpiTrax is a comprehensive disease surveillance system that receives reports from COVID-19 tests. EpiTrax uses test data to trigger case management and investigations by local public health agencies (LPHAs) and DHSS staff.

MO ACTS uses COVID-19 case contacts from EpiTrax and serves as the central contact tracing system for LPHAs, DHSS and contracted staff. Through MO ACTS, contacts can be contacted by phone, text or email.

Missoula County uses PatientOne, a locally developed app, to help with case management of quarantined individuals. As of October 2021, residents who are cases or contacts are contacted with a text, rather than a phone call.

Yellowstone County is using an unnamed software for trend identification for positive cases and contacts.

Some counties struggled with the Salesforce platform. For that reason, Clark County began using EpiTrax. The state expanded EpiTrax use to other counties in the state.

The state uses COVID Trace, an opt-in contact tracing app developed by Google and Apple that allows phones to anonymously exchange information when in close contact through Bluetooth.

The state has expanded capabilities of the COVID Trace app with Exposure Notification Express (ENX) through a partnership with Apple and Google. Now individuals can turn on ENX to alert users who have been within six feet for more than 15 minutes of a COVID-19-positive individual.

The app is on the National Key Server,which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state has also implemented a vendor-developed Salesforce solution to support contact notification and monitoring called Granite Trace.

The state launched an exposure notification app, COVID Alert NJ, using Bluetooth proximity technology. As of November 2021, the state estimates that COVID Alert NJ has 2.9 million users. This includes users of the app on iPhone and Android, as well as the iOS Exposure Notification service setting for apple devices.

The app is based on the platform developed by Google and Apple. The app is on the National Key Server which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

Santa Fe is encouraging residents to use a COVID-19 app, NOVID. Users anonymously log their COVID-19 status; it uses both Bluetooth and ultrasonic technology to measure the “time-sound takes” to sense the proximity of other NOVID-using phones. The app does notuse Apple and Google’s platform.

The state also uses an exposure notification app called NM Notify, using Bluetooth proximity technology. The app will soon be adding the capacity for individuals to manually imput their positive home test results. As of December 2021, about one-third of New Mexico adults are using the app.

NM Notify is on the National Key Server,which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

New Mexico Tech  has a contact tracing app called MinerSafe for university students, faculty, and staff.

As of February 2021, more than 1.3 million individuals have downloaded COVID Alert NY, the state’s exposure notification app. The app is based on technology developed by Apple and Google. The app is on the National Key Server which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state uses an exposure notification app using Bluetooth technology – SlowCOVIDNC. As of September 2021, the app had been downloaded  938,845 times.

The app is based on Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification System and alerts users if they have been in close contact with individuals who later test positive for COVID-19. The state targets marketing of the app at populations at high risk of exposure to COVID-19, including colleges and universities.

The app is also on the National Key Server which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state has two apps. The “Care19 Diary” serves as a memory aid that uses location data to help users who test positive for COVID-19 recall where they’ve visited to assist the contact tracing process. The “Care19 Alert” app uses exposure notification technology jointly developed by Apple and Google for public health agencies to supplement their COVID-19 contact tracing efforts.

The Care19 Alert app is on the National Key Server which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

Some local entities, such as the Lake County school district and the Cincinnati International Airport, are partnering with Volan Technology to use a Bluetooth-based contact tracing application.

While the Record Portal may be accessed on any device, a cell phone is needed to receive a one-time password for the initial registration process.

The state is using an app created by Google and MTX Group that lets medical staff engage remotely with people who may have been exposed, directing those with symptoms to testing sites.

In July 2021 the state reported it had updated its computer systems with new software from Google, after struggling with its previous disease tracking platform.

The state has a digital contact tracing system called Connect and Protect that directs individuals between ages 19 and 64 who test positive to fill out an online contact tracing questionnaire.

The state uses an exposure notification app, COVID Alert PA, which uses proximity exposure technology. Users voluntarily report when they test positive, which in turn anonymously alerts other phones that have been in proximity for a specified time. It is available in four languages. Individuals ages 13 through 17 are also able to use the app with parental consent. As of July 2021, there were 922,000 downloads of the App.

The app is on the National Key Server,which allows apps to download keys from other state apps on the server.  As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state uses a text-based contact tracing system enabling residents to fill out an online form, providing contact information for close contacts. The system will automatically text the list of people, informing them they must self-quarantine. The system builds on the existing health portal, which residents use to check their COVID-19 results. The system is not designed to replace human contact tracers but to supplement the contact tracing work.

The CRUSH COVID RI app shares daily location data for up to the past 20 days with the state Department of Health (RIDOH), though the data are only made available if users opt-in to sharing. If locations emerge where multiple people tested positive in a short timeframe, the RIDOH uses the data to take steps to close and sanitize the location. The app also includes a symptom tracking survey. In December 2021, the app was upgraded and renamed to 401Health. App users will need to update the app for new features to show up, including an option to upload vaccination information.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control does not use a contact tracing app. They maintain their data separately for privacy and security purposes.

The state uses a patient management software that has the capacity to rapidly reach contacts, provide education on the importance of quarantine, and allow them to monitor positive cases during quarantine.

The South Carolina Department of Corrections built an app to assist with tracking infections among prison staff.

Together with North Dakota, the state launched Care19, a location-tracking app to map the spread of COVID-19 and assist with contact tracing. The Care19 app is a location-logging application for use in contact tracing. The health department will ask people who test positive to share their location log for tracing purposes. The appcan also automatically notify others who were close by and may have been exposed. Use of the app and disclosure of location information is voluntary.

In September, the South Central Regional Health Office launched a text message COVID-19 case investigation system in conjunction with the state department of health. Residents of the region who test positive may receive a text message that asks them to complete their case investigation online and report their contacts. Traditional phone interviews will continue, but this text messaging outreach is expected to accelerate traditional phone interviews for contact tracing.

Sumner County schools notify parents through SchoolMessenger if a student in their child’s class tested positive.

In February 2021, Utah launched the Google/Apple Exposure Notification Express app.  The app uses Bluetooth technology to log anonymous keys of other users’ nearby phones. If a user tests positive, they can send an alert to the phones they came in contact with through the app  The app is part of the National Key Server which allows it to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

As of May 2021, 17.2% of the state’s population has downloaded the exposure notification app or activated EN express.

Starting in December 2020, contacts may be contacted via text message prior to receiving a call.

The state is using the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System Base System to manage COVID-19 case data.  This system helps public health departments manage reportable disease data and supports public health investigations.

The state also uses the Sara Alert system, which sends email and text messages that prompt a person with COVID-19 to complete a daily self-report of their symptoms.

In May 2020, the state launched COVIDCheck, a website which allows people to check their symptoms and guides them to testing, if needed.

The state also launched a proximity tracking app called COVIDWISE. Users must opt-in to the COVIDWISE notification system which uses their phone’s Bluetooth technology to track other app users. If one user encounters another who had a positive COVID-19 test within the last 14 days, the app will provide an exposure notification alert and next steps from the Department of Health.

The COVIDWISE app is a part of the National Key Server which allows it to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

In February 2021, the state launched COVIDWISE Express as an additional exposure notification tool for iPhone users. COVIDWISE Express does not require users to download the app, but is activated through the Exposure Logging on their smartphone.

As of May 2021, 24.1% of the state’s population has downloaded the exposure notification app or activated EN express.

The state uses the WA Notify app, which is based on Google Apple Exposure Notification technology. Users can opt in to receive notifications if a contact tests positive for COVID-19.

As of October 2021, WA Notify had more than 2.6 million users. The app is also on the National Key Server which allows it to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

The state also uses SARA Alerts, a web-based monitoring tool, to send emails, texts and/or phone calls to cases and identified close contacts during their isolation/ quarantine monitoring period.

The state launched the WI Exposure Notification app in partnership with Apple and Google. The app is on the National Key Server which allows it to download keys from other state apps on the server.

As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server. As of September 1, 2021, 29% of residents have downloaded the WI Exposure Notification app.

The app is also on the National Key Server which allows it to download keys from other state apps on the server. As of September 2021, 24 states and Washington, DC have joined the National Key Server.

Federal coronavirus relief money allocated to the state health department pays for the contact tracing contracts. The state is using more than 30 million in CARES Act funding to provide testing, symptom monitoring, and notification of exposure to COVID-19 for higher education students in all of the state’s public and private institutions.

In November 2021, the president announced an investment of $92 million from the Indian Health Service to hire school nurses that can provide contact tracing and other COVID-19 mitigation strategies, as well as $6 million to support core surveillance work for American Indian and Alaska Native populations.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $36 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

To develop a contact tracing curriculum, the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Center for Rural Health and Workforce accessed a $95,000 supplemental federal CARES Act grant, which the state matched.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $34.6 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

In May 2021, Arizona was given access to new federal funds of around $1.4 billion for Arizona counties and $1 billion for two dozen of the state’s cities to implement various public health programming including services and programs to contain the spread of COVID-19, like contact tracing.

In November 2021, the Pima County Health Department received a $6.8 million grant to help ensure K-12 teachers and families have the needed resources to minimize the impacts of the pandemic, including continuing contact tracing among students and their contacts.

In July 2020, Pima County health department entered into a six-month, $10-million contract with Maximus Health Services Inc, with options to extend as needed. Under the contract, Maximus hires staff and performs contact tracing under the direction of the health department. In April 2021, the county voted to extend the contract until January 2022 for $5-million.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $40.4 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

The CDC awarded a $6 million grant to help employ 50 bilingual community health workers in Northwest Arkansas to help combat COVID-19 including placing them at contact tracing centers.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $32.4 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will provide $3.2 billion to the state for testing, contact tracing and other efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Corporation for National and Community Service supported Colorado’s contact tracing initiative by redeploying AmeriCorps members and providing nearly $2 millionin federal funding for new volunteers in August 2021.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $5 million to the district health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations.

As of July 2020, the state is reported to have invested more than $6.8 million into its contact tracing program.

The state invested about $390,000 of federal funding to develop, market, and maintain the COVID Alert DE app.

In March 2021, the state paid World Wide Technology of St. Louis $450,000 to design the Stronger Than C-19 community action survey to improve the distribution of resources and initiatives across the state.

In June 2020, the state department of health signed a $2.7 million contract with Twenty Labs, LLC for the state’s contact tracing platform. In December 2020, the governor’s office signed a $1.5 million contract for the company’s mobile contact tracing app Healthy Together.

Palm Beach County is using $875,600 in federal coronavirus aid for the CombatCOVID exposure notification app, and Miami-Dade will paid $775,000.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $24.5 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities). University of Hawaiʻi’s Community Health Worker (CHW) program at Kapiʻolani Community College, has received $313,000 to train additional contact tracers.

The state received $81 million for testing and contact tracing from the federal COVID-19 relief bill.The state will be using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan for testing, contact tracing, and vaccinations.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $30.7 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

As of June 2021, local health departments across the state received approximately $230 million and community-based organizations received another $60 million.

Chicago awarded the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership $56 million in state and federal funds to work with 31 community-based organizations to create a COVID Contact Tracing Corps and COVID Resource Coordination Hub. The Cook County Department of Public Health is funded to continue contact tracing through the end of 2021.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $34.8 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

The state contracts with Maximus to provide contact tracing for $43 million per year.

Indianapolis is contracting with the Indiana University School of Public Health at $10.5 million to provide contact tracing. In January 2021, Indianapolis allocated an additional $1.9 million in city funds to support ongoing contact tracing.

The state contracted with DOMO for $250,000 to develop new contact tracing software.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas awarded a $200,000 grant to the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, which passed through funds in $5,000 increments to local health departments across the state to support contact tracing efforts.

In August 2021 the state health department was awarded over $1.7 million from the CDC to address health disparities and ensure access to COVID-19 services including testing, contact tracing, immunization services and to improve community health resiliency.

In June 2021, the CDCawarded $31.9 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

The state has a $4.27 million contract with Deloitte to oversee the contact tracing technology.

A June 2021 report showed that the state spent $215 million of CARES Act funding on PPE, contact tracing, testing and public awareness.

Nearly $290 million of the state’s share of the December 2020 Federal COVID Relief bill will be used for COVID-19 contact tracing, testing and mitigation efforts.

In May 2021, the CDC Foundation gave Xavier University $420,000 to create strategies for combatting disproportionate rates of COVID-19 among African Americans in New Orleans. These strategies will include community outreach about contact tracing.

In January 2021, the state’s Congressional delegation announced receipt of an additional $89 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, including $77 million for testing, contact tracing, and other strategies.

In January 2021, the state’s congressional delegation announced receipt of over $400 million in federal funding from the Federal COVID Relief bill to expand COVID-19 vaccine distribution, contact tracing, and testing capacity.

In October 2021, Baltimore announced that $80 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds would be used to address COVID-19. Some of the funds will support 100 contact tracers, making positions permanent for some of the existing tracing staff and allowing others to return to their original roles. Baltimore alsoreceived $25 million in response funding from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

To prepare for the transition of contact tracing responsibilities after the state’s contract with Partners in Health ended in December 2021, the Department of Public Health awarded over $19 million in federal and state resources directly to local boards of health to build local capacity for case investigations and contact tracing.

Boston Public Schools responded to parents’ complaints for better COVID safety in schools as cases continue to surge by announcing new funding for COVID prevention. Officials plan to spend an additional $3 million on expanding contact tracing and hiring more contract nurses.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $18.5 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

The state received $452.1 million to expand COVID-19 testing, tracing, and mitigation as part of the December 2020 federal COVID relief bill.

The state maintained a contract with Partners in Health ($55 million through December 2021, costing roughly $158 million in total. The state replaced its contact tracing program to support local boards of health in the amount of $15 million from the Baker-Polito administration and $4 million from the state Department of Public Health.

The state has a $39 millioncontract with Accenture and Salesforce to develop and manage software.

In March 2021, the governor signed legislation, which included up to $555 million in federal funding for testing and tracing.

In December 2021, Minnesota’s Senators announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide more than $19.5 million in funding to more than 75 rural hospitals in the state for COVID-19 testing and mitigation efforts, including contact tracing.

The state legislature authorized $8 million to create the information technology system needed to track cases and their contacts and $3 million to hire a temporary employment agency to fill staffing gaps.

The state has awarded several local and tribal organizations with fundingto conduct community-based pandemic efforts, including contact tracing.

The state received $171 million to support testing, contact tracing, containment, and mitigation to monitor and suppress the spread of COVID-19 from the December 2020 Federal COVID Relief bill.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $36 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities). As of June 30, 2021, the state had allocated $11.8 millionto contact tracing and tracking.

In November 2021, Rockwood School Districtallocated $170,000 of ARPA funds to outsource contact tracing operations with Maxim Healthcare Staffing Solutions Inc. in anticipation of holiday-related surges.

$144 billion of ARPA funds are earmarked for COVID-19 contact tracing and testing, awarded via grants to public health departments, with $18 million for testing and tracing in schools.

The state’s private sector task force closed out in June 2021 after spending over $12 million on PPE, testing supplies, and promotion of their contact tracing app.

In January 2021, the state awarded the University of Nevada – Las Vegas School of Public Health an additional $1.7 million to continue contact tracing efforts.

In December 2021, the state allocated $85.2 millionto be sent to the statewide epidemiology laboratory to upgrade that operation and the contact tracing program.

Some state general funds and primarily federal COVID-19 funding allocated to New Hampshire are supporting the contact tracing operation.

The state allocated $100 million from the American Rescue Act for vaccines, testing, contact tracing, and other coronavirus-related expenses.

In March 2021, the New Jersey Department of Health partnered with Catholic Charities to help build a statewide COVID Community Corps to help provide COVID-19 health education, testing, and contact tracing support to underserved groups, including Black and Latinx communities.

In July 2020, the Department of Health invested $32.3 million in local public health efforts. This funding allows for improved contact tracing, testing, and isolation and quarantine services throughout the state.

The state established a $12.5 million contract with Accenture HealthcareServices to set up a call center for contact tracing.

New Mexico also has a $7.5 million dollar contractwith MTX for contact tracing.

In November 2020, the governor signed a state relief package allocating $10 million dollars for testing, vaccine distribution, and contact tracing.

As of September 2021, New York City estimates $3 billion in costs for their Test and Trace Corps for FY2022, which will be covered by federal funds.

As of March 2021, New York City reported its contact tracing budget for the current fiscal year and the next at $582 million.

As of January 2021, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services had spent $125 million CARES Act funding on testing and contact tracing.

In September 2021, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schoolsreceived a federal “strong schools” grant allowing them to fill nearly 30 positions focused on COVID-19 issues, including contact tracers and several nursing jobs.

In October 2020, the governor allocated $100 million of CARES Actfunding to higher education, some of which will go to contact tracing.

In November 2021, Valley schools received between $15,000-$30,000 from the state to aid in contact tracing efforts. Funds may be used for needs like hiring supplemental COVID nurses.

One county is using a portion of its $33 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to supplement contact tracing in schools, with an estimated cost of $300,00 for the 2021-2022 school year.

The state allocated $21.7 million funds from the CARES Act for testing and contact tracing.

In November 2020, the Cherokee Nation received a $4 million grant for testing and contact tracing through a National Institutes of Health Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations grant.

With stable funding from the state, Oregon counties are looking to hire permanent, full-time contact tracers.

In July 2020, the state  contracted with Insight Global at $23 million to increase its contact tracing workforce. In June 2021, the state cut ties with the vendor and is named in a lawsuit along with the vendor after personal health information of about 72,000 Pennsylvanians were compromised. In July 2021, the state’s Department of General Services approved a new $34 million contractwith the Public Consulting Group. In August 2021, the state awarded Public Consulting Group an additional $9 million to rebuild its contact tracing program.

The state contracted with NearForm Ltd. at $1.9 million to deploy and maintain the Covid Alert PA app.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $20 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

As of January 2021, the Rhode Island Department of Health had received $70.4 million in federal funding, with $61 million supporting testing, contact tracing, and containment and mitigation efforts, and $9.5 million supporting vaccine distribution.

In February 2021, the state legislature voted to allocate $200 million for COVID-19 efforts, including contact tracing.

In October 2021, the state extended their contract with Xtend Healthcare through January 31, 2022.  As of November 17, 2021, the company had been paid $55,275,755, averaging $3.1 million each month, according to invoices and information provided by the health department. The new contract extension gave the company a maximum total compensation of $75 million over the life of the contract.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $39 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $24 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

$33 million of federal emergency aid dollars were approved for a variety of grants, mostly to defray increased costs in health and human services related to contact tracing and other actions required to combat COVID-19.

In April 2021, the state awarded a $10 millioncontract to Applied Memetics LLC . The contract provides up to 75 full-time contract tracers and allows the state to scale up their contact tracing force as needed. As of August 2021, the state has already paid the company $2 million.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $27 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $29 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

In February 2021, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill to provide $618 million for COVID-19 response, including contact tracing.

The state will receive $103.1 million through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act to expand testing and contact tracing.

In June 2021, the CDC awarded $27 million to the state health department. The 2-year grant aims to reduce COVID-19-related health disparities and improve and increase contact tracing and testing among high-risk, underserved populations (including people living in rural communities).

In January 2021, the state announced an additional $86 million in funding for local and tribal health departments to offset COVID-19 related expenses, including contact tracing.