A list of questions was presented to the LCDHD staff by the media. Those questions, and the answers given, are provided in the following article for the readers of the Clinton County News.

The media updates are presented weekly and the Clinton County News will continue to participate in those briefings so we can better keep our readers informed.

Our panel consisted of:

Amy Tomlinson, Preparedness Manager

Dr. Christine Weyman, Medical Director

Stuart Spillman, Environmental Health Director

Tracy Aaron, Health Education Director -moderato

QUESTIONS FOR JULY 8

Stuart

?1. I was in a church service with attempted social distancing but no one was wearing a mask. Someone in the church tested positive and I was told to self isolate along with most of the congregation. If everyone in the church had been wearing a mask would we have had to self isolate? I feel like that would make the difference to a lot of church members if they understood that.

Yes, you would still have to be quarantined; however, the risk of being infected would be a lot less. We are unable to quantify that risk, hence as a precaution, quarantine is necessary. Wearing a mask and distancing helps prevent the spread of the virus and ultimately helps prevent an outbreak. You may still be considered a contact due to exposure time in a confined space, but have reduced your risk of contracting Covid.

Dr. Weyman

? 2. How long will someone test positive after symptoms have cleared? (ie. tested positive and had symptoms, symptoms left and retested still positive.

Some people may test positive for viral RNA for up to 30 days after onset, but this does not necessarily imply viable virus, just remnants of viral nucleic acid.

Stuart

? 3. My son’s friend that he goes to the gym with has tested positive, does my son need to be tested?

A person may choose to have a Covid test whether symptomatic or not, if they have been exposed. If you have been in contact with a positive case within six feet for 10 minutes or more you are a contact and will need to quarantine for 14 days. You can become positive anytime up to 14 days. If he has symptoms, then he should be tested; if it has been four to five days since his contact, then he could be tested, but do not forget that if the result is negative -then it is only negative on that day and could be positive another day. If your son has been exposed, he should be quarantined for 14 days since his last contact.

Stuart

? 4. My daughter’s friend’s sister tested positive, do we need to quarantine?

This is an example of a secondary contact. If you are a primary contact of a confirmed case then you must quarantine. If you have been in contact with a primary, then this would be considered a secondary contact. If you have only been in contact with the person exposed and not the case, then you do not need to quarantine.

Dr. Weyman

? 5. Do you think that we are seeing more youth and young adults being tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few weeks verses older population?

Like the rest of the nation, we are seeing more younger people. Currently people under 18 years of age make up six percent of our cases.

? 6. If someone has COVID-19, but is not showing symptoms (asymptomatic), is the chance greater or smaller that they could pass it on to the general population than someone who does have symptoms?

The chance of an asymptomatic person spreading the virus is high because they are not sick and do not know that they have the virus. This person may not feel the need to avoid people by social distancing or avoid mass gatherings or wear a mask because they are not sick. We assume people who are not coughing transmit less.

? 7. The asymptomatic cases reported in this county-how were they diagnosed? By random testing, testing before a procedure, contact tracing or other?

People are tested for several different reasons. Those who are asymptomatic may have been tested for pre-op procedures. They may have been a contact to a positive case or they may have just requested testing.

? 8. Is the 1.03 number in the data for our area the right number?

Yes, and it signifies that each case will infect 1.03 others.

? 9. What is the difference in a case and a contact?

A case is someone who has tested positive for COVID19. A contact is someone who has been identified as spending >10 minutes less than six feet away with a case or being in an enclosed space with a positive case for an extended period of time.

? 10. How is contact tracing done in the Lake Cumberland area?

Once the LHD receives a positive case of COVID, we contact them and identify who has been in contact with the case. Once we get a list of contacts, we reach out to that individual and evaluate and instruct them on recommendations.

? 11. What are the challenges you run into during contact tracing?

Often a case has many contacts because of being residents in LTC, attending church services, large work places, and other congregate settings.

? 12. What are the reactions of most people to your contact tracing? Are they compliant with your requests?

The majority of people want to comply with the CDC recommendations and cooperate with the local health department.

? 13. Why is contact tracing so effective? What is the expected result of vigorous contact tracing?

Contact tracing helps slow the spread of the disease by quarantining potential infected people. Many times through contact tracing, we are able to identify symptomatic people who are tested and also found to be positive.

? 14. What is the average number of contacts of a case in Lake Cumberland? How many cases has LCDHD investigated to date? How many contacts have those cases resulted in?

We’ve received 466 cases as of July 7. The average number of contacts for all our cases has been seven. However we can have up to 100 contacts for one case if they have attended a large event or have a large employer.