Case investigation and contact tracing are tools used to control and prevent the spread of diseases, such as COVID-19. The purpose of a case investigation is to talk to people who have a disease (cases) to find out more about their disease and if they have exposed others. The goal of contact search is to find people who may have been exposed to a case (contacts) and who may be infected. It can keep more people from getting sick.
Case investigations | Contacts search |
Arlington County Staff: | |
Gather information about the case healthcare providers and laboratories, which are required by law to report cases of COVID-19 to Arlington County | Collect close contact information of the cases questioned |
Appeal case inquire about their close contacts
| Call close contacts to let them know they have been exposed to COVID-19 |
Advise cases what to do if they have symptoms of COVID-19 or if they are positive, and give advice on how to isolate yourself from others | Advise close contacts what to do, especially if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive, and give advice on quarantine |
Make sure cases have basic needs meet while they are at home, such as food, medicine and cleaning supplies. For more information on resources, call the Arlington County Social Services Department at 703-228-1300 or visit https://departments.arlingtonva.us/dhs/. | Make sure close contacts have basic needs meet while they are at home, such as food, medicine and cleaning supplies. For more information on resources, call the Arlington County Social Services Department at 703-228-1300 or visit https://departments.arlingtonva.us/dhs/. |
as case | As close contact |
Arlington County Staff: | |
Learn About Your Symptoms and when they started | Let you know you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19 (case) |
Learn about the people you were with and your activities. * The staff will ask you:
| Find out about your contact with the case, including when and type of contact |
To advise you what to do if you have symptoms of or test positive for COVID-19, and give yourself advice on how to isolate yourself from others | To advise you what to do, especially if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive, and give you quarantine advice |
Make sure youour basic needs aD meet while you isolate yourself at home, such as food, medicine, and cleaning supplies. For more information on resources, call the Arlington County Social Services Department at 703-228-1300 or visit https://departments.arlingtonva.us/dhs/. | Make sure your basic needs aD meet while you quarantine yourself at home, such as food, medicine, and cleaning supplies. For more information on resources, call the Arlington County Social Services Department at 703-228-1300 or visit https://departments.arlingtonva.us/dhs/. |
Arlington County will still call cases and contacts even if they are fully vaccinated. Cases of rupture can occur and this helps to ensure that contacts do not show symptoms. If you have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, staff can still contact you as, although rare, there have been reports of reinfection.
* The purpose of these questions is to find people you may have been exposed to COVID-19 so they know what to do. Staff won’t share any information about you unless you say it’s okay.
LOOK: Answer the call | The importance of contact tracing / Reply la llamada | The importance of rastreo de contactos
COVIDWISE is a cell phone application from the Virginia Department of Health.
- It lets users know when they have been in contact with other users who have COVID-19.
- Download COVIDWISE from the App Store for iPhone and the Google Play Store for Android.
- Downloading and using the app is 100% voluntary.
Only Arlington County staff will call you regarding case investigations and contact tracing. They will try to call you until you answer.
They will not ask:
- Social Security number
- Financial or banking information
- Passwords
- Other personal information unrelated to COVID-19
- Photographs or Videos
- Money
If you’re not sure, hang up and call the Arlington County COVID-19 hotline at 703-228-7999. Ask to speak to someone from the case investigation or contact tracing team.
WATCH: Answer the call | How to Avoid Contact Search Scams / Reply la llamada | Cómo evitar las estafas de rastreo de contactos
