OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department will change the COVID-19 case study process in response to changes in support from the New York State Health Department. The changes will take effect on Friday, April 29, and will include discontinuing case studies for most individuals and refocusing on vaccination and educational support.
The Oswego County Health Department urges residents to follow these guidelines if a resident becomes ill or if a home test kit or a PCR test performed through a healthcare provider or pharmacy is positive.
• After isolation, if asymptomatic, continue to wear the appropriate mask around others or in public for 6-10 days.
• If you still have symptoms, continue quarantine.
-Notify close contacts, especially those living in the same household, that they may have been exposed during the period of infection and that they should also follow the quarantine guidance from the Oswego County Health Department website. .. https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19..
-Notify your healthcare provider to see if they are eligible for antivirals or other treatment options.
-Access the employer and school document self-affirmation form on the County Health Department website.
-Use other resources on this website or call the Oswego County COVID-19 Hotline (315-349-3330 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays).
-If the test is positive, you may receive a text message from the New York State Department of Health, but be aware that you will not receive follow-up calls.
“These changes in our priorities address increased infectivity of the COVID-19 virus and shortened quarantine and quarantine periods,” said Public Health Nursing, Preventive Health Services Department, Oswigo County Health Department. Jennifer Patel, who oversees the teacher, said. “As a result, case studies and contact tracing are less effective at blocking the spread of the virus among the general public.”
Jiancheng Huang, director of public health at Oswego County, added that the Department of Health will investigate cases and outbreaks reported in high-risk assembly environments such as schools and day care centers.
“These changes in the state system will make it difficult to identify most case clusters as we have done in the past,” he said. “Therefore, it is recommended that residents, employers and institutions contact the health department if they notice an increase in cases in a particular area.”
Oswego County will shift resources to focus on educational support and immunization. These are two tools that help maintain community health while at the same time supporting community clustering and outbreak response.
Residents are required to continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including:
-Vaccine and keep the COVID-19 vaccine up to date.
-If you are sick, stay home, if you are sick, leave your child at home.
-Wear a suitable mask in public.
-Keep 6 feet away from others.
-Avoid crowded and poorly ventilated areas.
-Tests to prevent the virus from spreading to others
-Follow the quarantine and quarantine recommendations.
For more information, please visit page COVID-19 of the Oswego County Health Department. https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19 Alternatively, call the COVID-19 hotline (315-349-3330). The caller may need to leave a message, and the staff will return the call.
Residents should also contact their healthcare provider directly for COVID-19 and personal medical advice regarding vaccination or booster shots.
Under the New York State Public Health Act, the Oswego County Health Department is the local public health authority for COVID-19 pandemics in Oswego County. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with the New York State Department of Health to monitor, respond to, and report on COVID-19.
