June 16, 2020
Two of the most critical steps to getting New Jersey on the road to recovery are its expanded testing program for COVID-19 and contact tracing strategy. Together, they are the keys to stopping the spread of this deadly disease. Governor Phil Murphy presented details on the state’s growing contact tracing program at his coronavirus briefing on June 10.
“A robust and comprehensive contact tracing program is essential to our ability to continue our road back over the long term,” Murphy said. The governor encourages people to answer the phone when a contact tracer calls. You've been called because you tested positive for COVID-19 or may have come into close contact with someone who has. Contact tracers are calling with information that will keep you, your loved ones, and your community healthy. Here is how contact racing works:
- When you test positive for COVID-19, in addition to providing you with support, the lab that tested you loads your test data onto the State's secure epidemiological surveillance system called the Communicable Disease Reporting and Surveillance System (CDRSS).
- Your positive case is then shared with your Local Health Department, who will call you to determine close contacts that you may have spread the virus to.
- A close contact is anyone who was within six feet of you for more than 10 minutes at least two days before your positive test if you did not have any symptoms, or two days before your first symptom appeared.
- Contact tracers – trained professionals from the community -- get in touch with your contacts to recommend next steps like self-quarantining and to share resources about how those people can get tested.
- New Jerseyans that are called by a contact tracer may be asked about their: health status, living situation, insurance status, nature of their job, and communication preferences
- Your information is confidential. Your name will not be released to your contacts or your COVID-19 status
- Contacts are provided with education, information, and support to understand their risk, what they should do to separate themselves from others who are not exposed, how they should monitor themselves for illness, and the possibility that they could spread the infection to others even if they themselves do not feel ill.
- Local Health Departments across New Jersey have been conducting contact tracing for COVID-19 since the State identified the first case on March 4. However, as the case count has grown, Local Health Departments need more help getting this critical job done.
- The information that Local Health Departments are collecting is limited in scope, detail, use, and dissemination solely to what is necessary to identify, trace, contain, and treat COVID-19.
New Jersey has approximately 900 contact tracers. Governor Murphy anticipates that at least 1,600 additional contact tracers will be onboarded in June, and that a total of 4,000 or more contact tracers could be added over the course of the summer if needed.
“As we undertake more steps in our restart, we will bring on more contact tracers,” Murphy said. “Our contact tracing program is meant to supplement and further support the great work of our local health departments.”
Murphy said that each step of New Jersey’s restart will be accompanied by the onboarding of more contact tracers.
Contact tracers will be trained by Rutgers School of Public Health and local health departments on interview skills, ethics, privacy and data analysis.
Stay safe,
Rich Higgins, CPA
Managing Principal - New Jersey Office
McCarthy & Company
Disclaimer: This alert is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Information contained in this communication is not intended or written to be used as tax advice, and cannot be used by the recipient to avoid penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. We strongly advise you to seek professional assistance with respect to your specific issue(s).
