LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — As coronavirus cases continue to surge across Ohio, the Lake County General Health District announced today that it is altering its COVID-19 case investigation procedures, diverting resources from contact tracing efforts.
"Systematic testing, contact tracing, and supported isolation and quarantine remain the cornerstone of an effective public health response to the COVID-19 epidemic," Health Commissioner Ron Graham said in a press release, "However, the ongoing high level of disease activity in Lake County, and across Ohio, is resulting in alarming numbers of cases and exposed contacts that exceed the capacity of the public health workforce in nearly all jurisdictions." Graham compared the shift to hospitals postponing elective surgeries as the number of open beds shrinks.
Going forward, the district will focus on conducting case interviews. It will only contact people who are confirmed to have COVID-19 as reported through the Ohio Disease Reporting System to determine things like how long to isolate and the risk of transmission of the virus.
Because the focus will no longer be on contact tracing, LCGHD is asking people who test positive to notify their close contacts on their own. However, the department will conduct limited contact tracing, only if someone's close contacts are determined to be at high risk for severe disease, are critical infrastructure workers, or are at risk for creating an outbreak.
Additionally, the LCGHD is requesting anyone in Lake County with complaints about mask-wearing compliance to call the Ohio Department of Health rather than the county.