why is the pa department of health calling me

This important resource encourages people who have COVID-19 to notify their close contactsso that they can quarantine at home and get tested. The Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Better Business Bureau and state law enforcement groups from across the U.S. have issued consumer alerts about unscrupulous people who are not affiliated with health departments using phone calls, texts or emails to get personal information from those they scam. Learn more: bit.ly/2ZkyWjJ. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. I don't know where you live, but some health departments do contact sexual partners to inform them of possible exposure to HIV infection (or other transmissible infections, like the other sexually transmitted diseases). Most fully vaccinated people with no COVID-like symptoms do not need to quarantine, but they should still get tested and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. The grifters apparently are taking advantage of a genuine public health intervention that is crucial to stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus: contact tracing. Beware of scammers. Need to file a complaint? CDC is reviewing this page to align with updated guidance. Some recipients of these calls say they were hung up on after they confirmed their name to the caller. Monitor your health and think about your recent close contacts. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Considerations for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). Hiring people from within disadvantaged communities to be contact tracers can help build trust and improve cooperation when contact tracers call community members. County Assistance Offices. However, they are required, American Samoa is currently experiencing a measles outbreak thats led to two laboratory-confirmed cases and 49 suspected cases. None of the information collected through contact tracing is shared with the individuals called or with government agencies. We shouldnt sit here and think that the only options are to ride it out or get a vaccine, he added. Remember: A contact tracer will never ask for your immigration status, Social Security number, or any sort of payment. 6 Kenny Albert. contacting me. Earlier this month, officials in Rockland County, New York, sent subpoenas to eight people who refused to participate in contact tracing and threatened them with thousands of dollars in fines. Then, get the phone number for the health dept. #StopTheVirus https://salud.to/answerthecall, If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, someone from your local health department may call you to check-in on your health, discuss who youve been in contact with and, and ask you to stay at home to self-isolate. There are four ways you can complete and submit your renewal: By mail Complete and return the forms by mailing them back in the provided envelope. These calls are a scam and are referred to as "government impersonation fraud," meaning criminals are impersonating government officials for nefarious purposes. If you make an appointment for a COVID-19 test online, make sure the location is an approved testing site. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is directing anyone without internet access or those who have difficulty navigating the department's online vaccine resources to its COVID-19 hotline. This is a message from the [insert health department name]. Contact tracers have all been hung up on, cussed at, yelled at, said Gullet. ), Pennsylvania Department of HealthHealth and Welfare Building8th Floor West625 Forster StreetHarrisburg, PA 17120. When the government needs information from you, the request will not come over the phone; you will typically receive a letter through the mail first. Raise awareness about case investigation and contact tracing for COVID-19 by sharing resources with your community. The Department of Health and Human Services warns that it doesnt use its phone tips number on caller ID. At the end of the call, a genuine contact tracer may ask if they can call or text you in the coming days to check on how any symptoms may be progressing. Also, some people dont answer or return phone calls from unknown numbers and may be uncomfortable answering questions. You can call, text, or email your contacts. Active surveillance is crucial to identify and notify people who may have been exposed and to provide them with the tailored information and guidance on the specific infection prevention measures they should comply with while they are the most contagious. Protects against environmental hazards. Health departments and public health professionals have used contact tracing for decades to slow or stop the spread of infectious diseases. They help the people they call figure out how to isolate themselves from others until they clear the virus and determine which friends, neighbors, colleagues or acquaintances they might have been near in the days just before or after they tested positive for the coronavirus. Health Care - 877-888-4877. And beware of any caller who gives you names of the COVID-19 patients they say led them to you that's a sign of a scammer. If you have COVID-19, notify your close contactsmeaning people you were around in the 2 days before your symptoms started (or before your COVID-19 test, if you had no symptoms) until you started isolation. Learn more: bit.ly/3r2Pmd1. Your local health department needs your help to reach those who have been exposed. If you have a question for the Your Stories team, give us a call at 315-446-9900 or email us at YourStories . See these answers to Frequently Asked Questions about contact tracing: If you are sick with #COVID19, the health department may contact you. A Best Schools rank of #138 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Pepperdine is a great university overall. COVID-19 Contact Tracing Communication Toolkit for Health Departments, Answer the Call from the Health Department, What to Expect if You Have Been Exposed to COVID-19, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To report a Public Health Emergency or AN IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIABLE CONDITION, please call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258) (available 24/7) Want to submit feedback? Some information may be out of date. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Another clear red flag: being asked for your Social Security number. The contact tracer usually provides information on how to isolate and when to get treatment, then tries to figure out who else the person may have exposed. If the person with the coronavirus hasnt left their home much, its a relatively straightforward process. MDH is not making these calls. "Anytime someone calls you for information, you should be concerned about who is calling," says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. The impersonator claims the person is eligible for government grants (citing various reasons like COVID-19, disability, etc.) Secure .gov websites use HTTPS With this in mind, it is still important to get tested if you have symptoms or have possibly been exposed. Here's What They're Learning, Coronavirus Cases Are Surging. Learn more: You can help your health department slow the spread of #COVID19 to help protect you, your family, and your community. Health Care Facilities, Providers, and Insurance, Healthy Communities, Environment, and Workplaces. U.S. clears breakthrough gene therapy for childhood leukemia, Local providers to treat opioid addiction, Austin Landing movie theater job fair includes restaurant-type spots, 1 dead, 1 injured following crash into Preble County pond. It can even land you in legal hot water if you knowingly avoid contact tracers. Until vaccines are widely available, the available infection prevention approaches are: Although some state and local governments have implemented stay-at-home orders, face mask mandates, and limitations on public gatherings, the bulk of the responsibility of infection prevention approaches in America has fallen on individuals. Salud America! Dr. Debra L. Bogen, Acting Secretary of Health, ManagedCareConsumerInquires/Complaints, Publicationand Research Materials (PADOHPHIC), V/TTY for Speech and /or Hearing Impaired Persons, Bureau of Administration and Financial Services, Bureau of Informatics and Information Technology, Bureau of Health Promotion & Risk Reduction, Bureau of Women, Infant and Children (WIC), Bureau of Facility Licensure and Certification, Bureau of Community Program Licensure and Certification, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Office. Then, in that initial call, the legitimate tracer will seek to confirm an address and date of birth, especially if you are the COVID-positive patient, Watson says. Even though vaccines are being administered, there is still limited information on how the vaccines reduce or stop transmission or how long protection lasts. Keystone State. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. The State Department of Health offers more information about its surveys online. Fraudsters are also continuing to offer COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. You can block the caller's phone number to try to prevent follow up calls although the caller may call back from a different phone number. Scammers are sending COVID-19 at home test kits to Medicare beneficiaries and then billing Medicare for reimbursement. The Dog Law Enforcement Office may not be able to properly investigate your complaint without sufficient information. The callers use ID spoofing technology to make it appear that they are calling from a credible phone number, including appearing to call from the state health department or at least one local health department. You can spread the virus to others with or without symptoms. The Strike Force tested a version of this list using a list of numbers belonging to the IRS, and claimed that there was a noticeable decrease in reports of scam calls using spoofed IRS numbers. I understand that my doctor had to release my positive status, but why does this case worker need me to come into her office to have a visit. 2K views, 27 likes, 7 loves, 18 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dbstvstlucia: DBS MORNING SHOW & OBITUARIES 25TH APRIL 2023 APRIL 2023 No. of Latinos remain without health insurance coverage. Because not all health departments can afford Caller ID technology, you may have to look at their website and social media pages to find out what specific phone numbers they will be calling from. Discussions with health department staff are, Your name will not be shared with those you came in. For additional details on case investigation and contact tracing to inform your communication strategy, read the Interim Guidance on Developing a COVID-19 Case Investigation & Contact Tracing Plan: Overview. Given the prevalence of scammers, it's good to be initially suspicious of such a call, until you've sussed out its source, health officials say. All data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication. Other public health services, such as public health licensing, may include payment of fees, but these are not collected in this manner. Essential workers are on the front lines, in health, retail, and food jobs, thus exposed to COVID-19 at higher rates. Engaging in other pharmaceutical or medical device activities that are beyond the scope of practice of pharmacy. The hesitation to talk to contact tracers often stems from concerns over privacy a serious issue in healthcare. Finally, if you think you've been contacted by a scammer by phone, email or text report that to regulatory agencies, such as your state attorney general's office. These neighborhoods should be prioritized when hiring contact tracers and when conducting contact tracing. Your local health department needs your help to reach those who have been exposed. What exactly am I supposed to do? We have received reports of such callers posing as MDH and requesting personal and business information, including credit card numbers. Answer the call. Be cautious of COVID-19 survey scams. Offers to purchase COVID-19 vaccination cards are scams. The current state of immigration enforcement has made people reluctant to call attention to undocumented family or community members even if for critical health services. Since this scam includes caller ID spoofing of a state agency, the Ohio Highway Patrol is investigating these calls. Check your local health departments website for information about options in your area to possibly shorten this quarantine period. 2023 Remedy Health Media, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, https://www.thebody.com/article/health-dept-calling. Beware of scammers. They will help ensure the contact has the resources they need to isolate themselves, if necessary. The case interviews can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the complexity. Stay home if you have symptoms, are not fully vaccinated, or have not recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days. Visit the Contact Tracing Frequently Asked Questions and Answerswebpage for additional information. To receive email updates about COVID-19, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. The people taking the survey will leave a message with a number to call back that belongs to the health department. Phone surveys are vital tools for public health organizations like MDH because they help track the challenges and needs of communities. You can also follow CDCs social media accounts to repost/retweet messages for your community. Unfortunately, distrust or fear may be barriers to cooperation with contact tracers among the populations most in need of this approach. You are probably being contacted in an attempt to identify your sexual partners and perform this function. Do not provide this caller with personal or financial information. We can work together to help slow the spread of #COVID19. You can do your part by answering your phone if you get a call from your local health department. Delaware County, which has so far identified 84 positive coronavirus cases, is the biggest county in the state that doesn't have its own health department. Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit, editorially independent news service of the Kaiser Family Foundation. School administrators: As K12 schools and institutions of higher education (IHEs) resume in-person learning, effective strategies to slow the spread of #COVID19 are: Asking people who have been exposed to COVID-19 to follow public health recommendations to wear a mask, get tested, and quarantine based on their vaccination status or prior infection in the past 90 days.

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