Stories from a Contact Tracer

[harllee]

As a result of a thread about hotels I asked my contact tracer friend about hotels and she said they had not seen cases originating in hotels. She thinks hotels should be safe so long as you don't eat in the hotel restaurant (especially not buffets), wear a mask in common areas and avoid elevators. My friend says they have seen several cases lately from people who ate inside a restaurant and she thinks eating inside restaurant is high risk and would not eat inside a restaurant now herself.

 

[brewer12345]

I have an 87 year old aunt (lives alone) who has decided she would rather take her chances and see her family than be isolated from them for the unforeseeable future. She feels like at her age she could succumb to any number of ailments at any time. I kind of understand her feelings about this.

My mother seems to feel the same way, but sh is in her 70s. I am not sure she and dad are making decisions very well these days. Still not getting on a plane to go see them, as much as I would like to.

 

[Midpack]

From what I’ve read Covid is too widespread in the US to make effective use of contact tracing any more, we missed that window of opportunity. Waiting 5-10 days for results makes tracing useless as well. Between that and many Americans ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ attitude, we’re all left with protecting ourselves come what may as others have noted. Contact tracing now seems a waste of (scarce) resources, but politicians will do it anyway so they can say the did to cynical voters. We’re a nation with a huge willfully ignorant population...on display for the world to watch. Sturgis is the latest example, with thousands of family gatherings daily adding to the case load...

Testing, contact tracing and isolation are the tactics being used successfully to crush outbreaks in countries such as South Korea and Germany. But those places never had the level of case surges that many U.S. states are now experiencing.

"When you have something like this happening, there's no way that traditional testing and tracing is going to have any meaningful impact," Osterholm says. "I liken it to trying to plant your petunias in the middle of a Category 5 hurricane."

Others agree. At this point, there are just too many new infections occurring too quickly for underfunded, understaffed public health departments to effectively use testing and contract tracing, according to Dr. Jeffrey Engel, the senior adviser for the COVID-19 response for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ublic-health-capacity-in-many-states-what-now

 

[harllee]

From what I’ve read Covid is too widespread in the US to make effective use of contact tracing, we missed that window of opportunity.

Unfortunately you are probably correct--may help in smaller areas and groups like in a school or nursing home but most contract tracers are just overwhelmed. And people contacted are not cooperating.

 

[Ian S]

Yeah - there is definitely an element that couldn't care less if they spread it to others. Of course the bikers are probably being extra obnoxious for notoriety's sake. They just want to sound tough and devil-may-care to impress their peers.

We had to get something at a local ACE hardware store and boy do we regret it. No one working in the store work masks, neither did the vast majority of their customers. No social distancing. It's a cramped little store. We couldn't find what they said they had on the phone. Older man (probably owner) comes by asks if we need help. We should have said NO!!! Long discussion ensues in the slow southern style - at least he spoke quietly, but it took at while and we kept trying to back up but were kind of trapped. Couldn't get out of there fast enough!

Gosh - these small town mom-and-pop local places really don't think it's going to affect them or their customers! Absolutely clueless - just unreal. There are cases in the county. It's just a matter of time.

Thank goodness Walmart requires masks and lays things out for social distancing.

We have an ACE hardware store within walking distance but I haven't been there since the pandemic began. Like most ACE stores, it's very cramped and the aisles are narrow which is good for getting lots of stuff into a small space but bad for safety in the age of covid-19. When we go by there we see few people wearing masks entering or leaving. I have no idea if the staff wear masks. So, any of our hardware needs are being satisfied by either Amazon or a half hour trip to Home Depot for curbside pickup.

 

[brewer12345]

From what I’ve read Covid is too widespread in the US to make effective use of contact tracing any more, we missed that window of opportunity. Waiting 5-10 days for results makes tracing useless as well. Between that and many Americans ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ attitude, we’re all left with protecting ourselves come what may as others have noted. Contact tracing now seems a waste of (scarce) resources, but politicians will do it anyway so they can say the did to cynical voters. We’re a nation with a huge willfully ignorant population...on display for the world to watch. Sturgis is the latest example, with thousands of family gatherings daily adding to the case load...
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ublic-health-capacity-in-many-states-what-now

As I said, sounds like a waste of time and money. Hope you are prepared for the volley of rotten fruit from the sunshine brigade.

 

[Montecfo]

I see, so sorry your mother doesn’t really understand what is going on.

Similar situation here. DMIL asked "Am I going to have to wear a mask the rest of my life?"

She is in her 94th year.

 

[Amethyst]

And if you try to reason with some of them, you hear "Why don't you go to China or North Korea?" I will say no more, out of pig-o-phobia, but it's just maddening.

FWe’re a nation with a huge willfully ignorant population...on display for the world to watch. ]

 

[brewer12345]

And if you try to reason with some of them, you hear "Why don't you go to China or North Korea?" I will say no more, out of pig-o-phobia, but it's just maddening.

Considering the numerous reports of fistfights, assaults, etc., please do not say anything. We are a bitterly divided society in many ways. You will not change anyone's mind and it isn't worth the personal risk.

 

[sengsational]

From what I’ve read Covid is too widespread in the US to make effective use of contact tracing any more, we missed that window of opportunity. Waiting 5-10 days for results makes tracing useless as well. Between that and many Americans ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ attitude, we’re all left with protecting ourselves come what may as others have noted. Contact tracing now seems a waste of (scarce) resources, but politicians will do it anyway so they can say the did to cynical voters. We’re a nation with a huge willfully ignorant population...on display for the world to watch. Sturgis is the latest example, with thousands of family gatherings daily adding to the case load...
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ublic-health-capacity-in-many-states-what-now

I think it's less important to do traditional contact tracing and more important to identify case studies that show how transmission happens. There's not much to be learned from a detailed study of a funeral with no precautions...indoor, no XR's*, snot and tears. Duh. But find the head-scratcher case and understand how someone "got it", when they were supposedly being careful.




* Ok, I just made that up. X-hale Redirectors. I didn't want to use the "M" word.

 

[W2R]

My mother seems to feel the same way, but sh is in her 70s. I am not sure she and dad are making decisions very well these days. Still not getting on a plane to go see them, as much as I would like to.

Aw!! I understand your decision and would do the same if I was in your shoes.

I know, why not call her on the phone! Long phone calls are almost as good and I bet she'd be so glad to hear from you. Maybe you could have gifts delivered to her from time to time, to show her that you are thinking of her.

I am sure she understands that you would go see them if you could.

 

[RonBoyd]

This is the saddest thread I have read since joining all those years ago.

We have not left our house since January 15th. With one exception: Last week the State of Colorado forced me to have an emission test done on one of the vehicles. It was, however, less traumatic than I imagined. I did not have to get out of the car. But did have to speak with the attendant through the cracked window and accept the receipt.

In any event, that has been the only contact with another person we (well, me) have had since January... and we are quite committed to continuing this isolation into next year. Yeah, it isn't easy since we are more accustomed to 25,000 miles RVing each year.

 

[ivinsfan]

Everyone has the right to weigh the risks and make their own decisions. In my elderly mother's case I don't think she is making her own decision. She is being badgered by family members to do unsafe things and I don't believe she is able to make a fully informed decision. I have fought with this particular family member for years over these kinds of issues and I usually lose. I tell my mother what I think and that is really all I can do.

Sad fact... family infighting seems to get worse in times like these...as a member of the "sunshine brigade" one would hope families could pull together, but no it seems to go the other way...people cant or won't change or even look for common ground.

 

[ivinsfan]

Contact tracing on a large scale never really seemed workable to me. If you work people facing at WalMart 40 plus hours a week and get take out and various other things, how would ever know where you got exposed?.

CT is starting to be used as a "shaming mechanism".

 

[Midpack]

Sad fact... family infighting seems to get worse in times like these...as a member of the "sunshine brigade" one would hope families could pull together, but no it seems to go the other way...people cant or won't change or even look for common ground.

Most people I see daily are being reasonably responsible, but the minority who aren’t is by no means small or insignificant - I see examples every day. Most of us have to contend with the significant few who know better. I just proactively steer clear whenever possible (most of the time) but I’ve had to tell a few to back off already, without incident so far. And in stores or restaurants that look dodgy, we just go somewhere else.

 

[audreyh1]

From what I’ve read Covid is too widespread in the US to make effective use of contact tracing any more, we missed that window of opportunity. Waiting 5-10 days for results makes tracing useless as well. Between that and many Americans ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ attitude, we’re all left with protecting ourselves come what may as others have noted. Contact tracing now seems a waste of (scarce) resources, but politicians will do it anyway so they can say the did to cynical voters. We’re a nation with a huge willfully ignorant population...on display for the world to watch. Sturgis is the latest example, with thousands of family gatherings daily adding to the case load...
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...ublic-health-capacity-in-many-states-what-now

I think this very much depends on the state and local situation. Not everywhere has the long delays. Some states have very low positivity rates at the moment and fast test turn around and are able to effectively contact trace.

 

[Midpack]

I think this very much depends on the state and local situation. Not everywhere has the long delays. Some states have very low positivity rates at the moment and fast test turn around and are able to effectively contact trace.

I understand, but the macro situation is beyond contact tracing from what I’ve read. Do you disagree?

 

[audreyh1]

CT is starting to be used as a "shaming mechanism".

Seriously? How do you get that?

If you mean some people are too embarrassed to talk to a contact tracer and to share information, that’s different.

 

[audreyh1]

I understand, but the macro situation is beyond contact tracing from what I’ve read. Do you disagree?

There are states which got their infections way down, which have kept their positivity rate way down through adequate testing, which invested in an army of contact tracers and deployed them. I wouldn’t want to discourage state and local efforts just because other areas are doing poorly and it makes the big picture look bad. Contact tracing is a local function. So I disagree about the macro level being important when what matters is the local effort.

 

[Ian S]

Sounds like a waste of time and money.

Not really. No system is going to be perfect but the key thing is to reduce the transmission as much as possible. Get R0 below 1 by a whole raft of imperfect measures including masks, distancing and contact tracing. None of them is ideal nor sufficient alone but, in combination, they can be effective.

 

[Sunset]

This is the saddest thread I have read since joining all those years ago.

We have not left our house since January 15th. With one exception: Last week the State of Colorado forced me to have an emission test done on one of the vehicles. It was, however, less traumatic than I imagined. I did not have to get out of the car. But did have to speak with the attendant through the cracked window and accept the receipt.

In any event, that has been the only contact with another person we (well, me) have had since January... and we are quite committed to continuing this isolation into next year. Yeah, it isn't easy since we are more accustomed to 25,000 miles RVing each year.

We generally work in the garden, mow the lawn, and will occasionally walk around the neighborhood just avoiding someone if they are also walking. No masks required.

I also get curbside takeout, and curbside groceries.

We thought we had it all well in hand.

After about 3 months, we visited much older relatives while we wore masks. We felt safe we would not infect them due to our limited outside exposure.

What we found were isolated, sad, depressed, ready to die folks. Literally talking about death. Turns out the isolation is really bad !
They also let problems grow as didn't care.

So now we visit once per week, wearing our N95 masks. In the last month we can see the improvement in them.

It's a tricky balance.

 

[Moemg]

We had a little family difference . My SO has four sons who are married with children . Their Mother had them all over for an outside barbecue so one of the sons wanted us to do the same . We refused.It would be over 20 people . The crazy thing is they are all pretty careful otherwise .

 

[braumeister]

What we found were isolated, sad, depressed, ready to die folks. Literally talking about death. Turns out the isolation is really bad!

J’ai découvert que tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos dans une chambre.

-- Blaise Pascal, 1654

"I have discovered that all of humanity’s problems stem from one thing alone, not knowing how to sit quietly in a room alone."

 

[ivinsfan]

"I have discovered that all of humanity’s problems stem from one thing alone, not knowing how to sit quietly in a room alone."

If you have a choice about sitting alone that's one thing. Sitting alone because of a pandemic and not knowing an end date is something completely different.

Humans were meant to have human contact....

 

[RonBoyd]

We generally work in the garden, mow the lawn, and will occasionally walk around the neighborhood just avoiding someone if they are also walking. No masks required.

I also get curbside takeout, and curbside groceries.

What we found were isolated, sad, depressed, ready to die folks. Literally talking about death. Turns out the isolation is really bad !

Yeah, I should have said "not out of" our yard since January. We do move about, if only to get the mail at the street-side box.

We are not depressed, by any means. It is, however, a concern... well, something to watch out for. I believe that this confinement is easy for us because of our small van-sized RV experience. Well, that and there is plenty to keep us busy.