OHA launches hotline, website for COVID positive people

Posted: January 12, 2022

From OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Portland, me. — The Oregon Health Authority is moving to an opt-in model for investigating cases of COVID-19, a new web site for people who test positive for the virus to report results from their home test kits or test providers. Launched a site and hotline.

People using new Positive COVID test With website COVID-19 Case Support Hotline, 866-917-8881 can complete linked online surveys from the web portal to report positive cases or get help to complete the survey through the hotline. They can also get information about quarantine and other ways to keep themselves and the people around them safe while they are recovering.

The launch of the service follows OHA’s decision to revise the guidelines for investigating cases of COVID-19, rather than focusing on interviewing individual cases or conducting contact tracing. The focus is on outbreaks in high-risk environments such as mass medicine and medical care. , K-12 Education and food chain industry.

“The current rapidly increasing surge in COVID-19 cases caused by Omicron variants outweighs the ability of Oregon’s public health system to effectively carry out aggressive case investigations and contact tracing. “Community infections,” said Dean Sidelinger, a health officer and national epidemiologist at the Oregon State Health Department.

“As a result, we are coordinating case studies and outreach efforts, considering the burden on the overall public health infrastructure and the need to pivot resources to higher priority public health measures. Focuses on investigating outbreaks in high-risk situations, away from individual investigations and contact tracing calls, “he said.

OHA conducted a case study with a focus on enabling people who test positive for COVID-19 or who have been exposed to the virus to quickly access information and resources for safe quarantine and quarantine. We take an opt-in approach. The first offer is a website, Oregon.gov/positivecovidtestIncludes a link to a mobile-enabled case study. Soon, the survey, available in 12 languages, will be available in English, Spanish, and Russian. Anyone who tests positive can be used to provide additional information to public health.

OHA does not require individuals to report test results at home, but it is highly recommended. Also, let your close contacts know that you may have been exposed so that you can take steps to limit your exposure to others. Hospitals, healthcare providers, laboratories, and local public health authorities need to report test results.

The COVID-19 Case Support Hotline 866-917-8881 is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. It will be available to support staff to provide general health information. Answers to quarantine and quarantine questions. Answers to questions about how to tell close contacts that you may have been exposed to COVID-19. Information about resources to assist them during quarantine. We will assist you in completing an online case study so that you can report a positive test for the caller. Staff provide support in English and Spanish, and interpreting services are available in additional languages.

According to Sidelinger, the COVID-19 Case Support Hotline staff includes case investigation and contact tracing teams for members of OHA’s COVID Response and Recovery Unit (CRRU), so they are quarantined, quarantined, and used. Eligible to answer questions about possible resources. With the availability of hotlines, local public health authorities will be able to reduce or eliminate telephone case studies and “relocate these resources to higher value mitigation efforts.”

Hotline staff can also triage calls that would normally be sent to local public health authorities and forward them only if local follow-up is required.