Pennsylvania health officials looking for more contact tracers to combat coronavirus spread

Pa. health officials looking for more contact tracers to combat coronavirus spread amid Lehigh Valley outbreaks

By Brittany Sweeney

July 27, 2020

Pennsylvania Department of Health officials say COVID-19 remains a threat in local communities. And that more contact tracers are needed to help contain the virus. WLVR’S Brittany Sweeney takes a closer look at what this means for the Lehigh Valley. 

Speaking at a recent Allentown School Board meeting, City Health Director Vicky Kistler said coronavirus is circulating in the area. And more people are coming into proximity with one another.

“We’ve opened day care centers and we’ve had outbreaks, we’ve open[ed] restaurants and opened bars and public activity, although limited to an extent, and we’ve had outbreaks,” said Kistler.

To combat this, those in public health use contact tracing to identify, notify and monitor people who may have been exposed. 

Chrysan Cronin is the Director of Public Health at Muhlenberg College. She says she believes the public is cooperating with contact tracers, and it’s making an impact.

“It’s working in the Lehigh Valley well and you know, it’s what we’ve got right now to contain this and if, if we don’t do this, I don’t know how long this pandemic will last. We’ve got to all do our part.”

Currently, there are nearly 650 people in six different regions taking on the task. But PA health officials say many more are still needed. They are asking more people to sign up to be contact tracers and also hiring nurses to facilitate the process in the Lehigh Valley. 

The PA Department of Health is looking for people to do contact tracing. Learn more about contact tracing and how you can help.

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