Geisinger, Mount Nittany Health launch contact tracing programs to fight COVID-19 spread
Hoping to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Geisinger and Mount Nittany Health have implemented programs to alert those who may have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient.
Geisinger developed its own COVID-19 test in March, but its newly launched contact tracing program alerts those who had close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, so they can self-isolate. State College-based Mount Nittany Health has partnered with the Penn State College of Medicine to conduct investigations for patients who’ve tested positive for COVID-19.
“Patients who test positive for COVID-19 are asked to supply a list of people with whom they have had close contact, beginning two days prior to showing symptoms,” Geisinger media specialist Malini Mattler said in a statement. “Close contacts include others in the patient’s household, those with whom they share a workspace or people who were within six feet of the patient for more than 10 minutes.”
Once a patient tests positive, a team of researchers contact the individuals and ask them to self-isolate for 14 days.
“Like the flu, the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is through common-sense prevention measures,” Mattler said.
They are not told who has tested positive for the virus or when they may have been exposed due to privacy laws.
Geisinger’s program does not include someone a patient may have interacted with in a grocery store or someone on the street.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises anyone who had close contact with someone who might have the coronavirus to monitor their health and call their primary care provider if they develop symptoms.
In addition to Penn State College working with patients, Mount Nittany Health routinely conducts internal contact tracing in cases involving employees of the health system.
“This work is vital to public health function which has a significant impact on both understanding the spread of the virus and efforts to contain it within the community,” Carrie Hanley, Mount Nittany Health Infection Prevention and Control manager, said in a statement.
As of Friday, Centre County has 73 confirmed coronavirus cases with 29,441 total reported cases statewide.
This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
