Slow COVID-19 test results create new challenges for FL contact tracing efforts

DeSantis: “The turn around time is just not what we want it to be.”

TONIGHT 4 IN YOUR CORNERUNCOVERS HOW DELAYS IN TESTINGRESULTS ARE CAUSING MORECHALLENGES IN TRACING THECORONAVIRUS FROM PERSON TOPERSON.

THANKS FOR STAYING WITHUS, I’M PATRICK NOLAN.

OUR KATIELAGRONE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THESTATE’S CONTACT TRACING EFFORTSFOR MONTHS.

TONIGHT SHE LAYS OUTTHE LATEST CONCERNS AND THE NEWSTUDY AIMED AT IMPROVING TPROCESS.AS THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE COVICASES CONTINUES TO PUT THESUNSHINE STATE IN THE NATIONALSPOTLIGHTFLORIDA IS NOW POURING MOREMONEY INTO ITS CONTACT TRACINGPROGRAMA $6.2 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTWITH A VIRGINIA COMPANY TO ADDHUNDREDS OF TRACERS TO THETASKHAS BEEN EXTENDED ANADDITIONAL YEAR AND THE COST HASQUADRUPLED TO MORE THAN $27MILLION DOLLARS ACCORDING TO THESTATE’S ONLINE DATABASE.AND A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHSPOKESPERSON EXPLAINS TRACERSHIRED BY THE COMPANY TO "preventthe spread of COVID-19" MAY NOTACTUALLY BE IN FLORIDA"florida residents arepreferred, as is familiaritywith florida’s geography," HESTATED IN AN EMAIL TO US.9:31- it makes sense to havesomeone in your area doingcontact tracingARLENE PREIS IS AN O-R NURSE BYTRADEWHO RECENTLY TOOK ANONLINE COURSE TO BECOME A TRACERBUT HAS YET TO FIND A JOB DOINIT.10:44- we’re ready to go towork, put us to workA STATE SPOKESPERSON SAYS JUSTOVER 2000 TRACERS ARE NOWWORKING TO MITIGATE THE VIRUS’SPREAD IN FLORIDABUT INCREASEDCASELOAD AND SLOW RESULTS REMAINA CHALLENGE.5:09- it would be great to get aphone call from someone13 DAYS AGODWAYNE BENETT GOT ACOVID TEST AFTER LEARNING HEMIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AT WORK1:23- started getting dry cough,started feeling a littlefeverishIT TOOK 10 DAYS TO LEARN HE WASPOSITIV━ON MONDAYTHE GOVERNOR CALLEDTHE DELAYS IN TEST RESULTS ASTATEWIDE PROBLEM.30:50- the turn around time isjust not what we want it to be12:02- the goal is always assoon as possibleDR. JACQUELINE EVANS ANASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT FLORIDAINTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, SAYSLAG TIMES IN RESULTS MAKESUCCESSFUL CONTACT TRACING MOREDIFFICULT.:59- the window of opportunityto reach a contact before thbecome infectious and go out andinfect others, that window getssmaller and smallerSHE’S PART OF A NEW STUDY AIMEDAT TEACHING TRACERS MORECOGNITIVE INTERVIEWING SKILLBETTER JOG A PERSON’S MEMORY.7:57- i feel back to myselfright now.IT’S ONLY BEEN 3 DAYS SINCEDWAYNE BENNET LEARNED THROUGH ANONLINE PATIENT PORTAL THAT HE’SCOVID POSITI2:33- i didn’t get a phone calli still haven’t gotten a phonecall.A CONTACT TRACER ALSO HAS YET TOCALL HIMBUT IF THEY DOHEQUESTIONS HOW MUCH HELP HE’LL BEABLE TO OFFER SINCE HIS EXPOSUREAND HIS TEST ARE NOW WEEKS AGO.10:27- if i’m 2-3 weeks out frommy symptoms and then i’m gettinga phone call 2-3 weeks later,might have forgotten someimportant information.TAGRESEARCHERS AT F-I-U HOPE TOREVEAL THE RESULTS OF THEIRSTUDY IN THE FALL.

MEANTIME, THEGOVERNOR SAID MORE RAPID TESTSWILL BE AVAILABLE AT TESTINGSITES IN ORANGE COUNTY AND