Department of Health authorizes contact tracing

The Arkansas Department of Health has authorized the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and UAMS Northwest Regional Campus to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing for public and private colleges and universities in Arkansas.

Contact tracing is a way for public health officials to track the spread COVID-19, by reaching out to those who may have been in contact with an infected individual and requesting they quarantine themselves.

The effort is supported by $5 million in federal coronavirus aid that was allocated by the Arkansas Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Steering Committee created by Governor Asa Hutchinson.

“Our goal is to protect the students and employees on each of these campuses,” associate provost and project lead for the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus Jay Gandy said. “This group effort will allow us to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic among the higher education institutions in Arkansas.”

The project will involve establishing two contact tracing centers, one in central Arkansas and one in northwest Arkansas. The work will be done by 75 contact tracers, two center directors, and an assistant center director.

“As colleges begin going back to school in August, we want to change the norms and behaviors of these students,” associate dean for research and project lead for the College of Public Health Ben Amick said. “That will be the only way to ensure that students are following social distancing practices, wearing masks, and taking other COVID-19 precautions.”

UAMS, Department of Health and Department of Higher Education officials are working closely with each institution to ensure their preparedness plans are in place and proper precautions are taken, if a student or employee tests positive for COVID-19.