Uncategorized
COVID-19 Spike Forces Health Officials In Jackson County To Restructure Workflow

Jackson County public health officials are asking people who test positive to inform all of their close contacts right away. At the start of the pandemic, contact tracers from the county would immediately identify and inform people who came in contact with the infected person.
Nichole Brickey manages the contact tracers in Jackson County, and she says that because timing is so important, it’s best to leave some responsibility up to the public.
“There’s such a backlog of people that tested positive that by the time that the investigation was done and we found out who the contacts were, we called a lot of people and the contacts were like, ‘Well, I’ve already tested, and I’m positive,’” says Brickey.
In an effort to keep up with case investigations and contact tracing, health officials have stopped monitoring people for serious symptoms after they receive a positive test result.
Brickey says that as the pandemic grows, the county has to put its limited resources where they can do the most good. Now, staff have more time to educate people who test positive on how to best care for themselves, as well as trace down anyone they’ve come in contact with.
“It’s definitely more beneficial to notify people so that people can be aware and take care of themselves than I think it is for us to just, you know, play mother over somebody and monitor them every day,” says Brickey.
The public health office says that not everyone who is positive will get a call from a public health worker. They’ll first focus on those most at-risk of serious illness or spreading it to others.
If you do test positive, it may take around a week for a case investigator to reach out to you — if they call at all.
-
Crime & Safety1 week ago
Mom Ieft her baby with a woman she found onIine only for the caregiver to kiII the chiId just four days later from head trauma likely caused by being struck or hitting an object, then do the same to another baby years later: DA
-
Crime & Safety3 days ago
ChiId told police he began eating Iunch in his educator’s cIassroom because he had issues associating with the right crowd, only for the woman to cover the windows, Iay a piIIow down in a corner and indcently assauIt him
-
Crime & Safety3 days ago
11-year-old and his sibIing came to live with his educator following trauma related to their famiIy housing, only for the woman to give birth to his baby after indcently assauIting the student for years: DA
-
Eugene7 days ago
City of Eugene seeks two citizen members for police commission
-
Oregon7 days ago
Oregon fire marshal urges safe and legal fireworks use during 2025 sales season
-
Eugene7 days ago
Heavy fire at Eugene home prompts swift response, no victims found
-
Eugene7 days ago
Woman arrested for arson and theft after early morning Eugene house fire
-
Eugene17 hours ago
City of Eugene outlines closures and adjusted schedules for Independence Day on July 4