Okaloosa County BOCC — December 2, 2014 — 10.14.14_FDOH Contact Tracing Can Stop — reading text

Contact Tracing Can Stop Infectious Disease Outbreaks FloridaHealth.gov • Florida Department of Health If you are diagnosed with certain diseases, you will be asked by a n Contact tracing tracks and prevents the spread of disease. local public health official—an epidemiologist—about everyone n Epidemioligists find everyone that has been in contact with a with whom you have had contact. The epidemiologist will talk to sick patient. each person and ask them about their health. This is called contact n Contacts are watched for symptoms for a certain number of tracing, and is a core public health function. days. Your role, providing all contacts, is key to stopping the spread of disease. 1 2 Patient asked about their contacts. 3 Contacts will be watched PATIENT Isolated & ? for symptoms for a certain number of days. Provided Care Contact shows symptoms Contact shows symptoms Missed contact Contact shows no symptoms & is isolated, tested & is isolated, tested may spread disease after a certain & provided care. & provided care. to new contacts. number of days. PATIENT Isolated & PATIENT Isolated & ? Provided Care Provided Care Patient asked about contacts. Patient asked about contacts. Public health system works to eliminate missed contacts. If no contacts, no further spread Contact Contacts watched of the disease. not at risk for symptoms of developing for a certain the disease. number of days. Cycle repeats until there are no new patients. Local county contact information can be found at FloridaHealth.gov. 10/14/14