Contact tracing

Contact tracing is a public health tool used to reach individuals who have had contact with a person infected with a disease, such as COVID-19. Through this process, individuals are identified, informed about the infection and asked to test and quarantine. Contact tracing is carried out by public health officials by asking patients to identify others with whom they may have come in contact. 

If you are tested and found to be positive, you may be contacted by trained contact tracing personnel to discuss who you have been in contact with or where you spent your time while you may have been infectious to others. Your name will not be revealed to those you may have exposed, even if they ask.

You are considered a close contact if you have been less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 10 minutes or more over a 24 hour period. The time frame for having contact with an infected individual includes 48 hours before symptom onset (or for asymptomatic people, 48 hours before positive specimen collection), until they meet the criterial for ending isolation.

You are considered a close contact if you have been less than 6 feet away from an infected person for a cumulative total of 10 minutes or more over a 24 hour period. The time frame for having contact with an infected individual includes 48 hours before symptom onset (or for asymptomatic people, 48 hours before positive specimen collection), until they meet the criterial for ending isolation.

If you suspect you are a close contact, you do not need to wait to hear from a contract tracer. Call your health care provider and tell them about your close contact with the infected person and ask for guidance regarding quarantine. Your health care provider will work with your local or state public health department to determine if you need to be tested. Calling ahead allows a medical professional to assess your symptoms over the phone and determine if you should be tested for COVID-19. If you test negative during your quarantine period, you will still need to complete your full quarantine before it is safe to go back to work or be around others. 

If you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, a public health worker may contact you to inform you that you've been exposed to COVID-19. You should stay at home and self-quarantine. The public health worker will help identify the dates of your self-quarantine. They also can provide resources about COVID-19 testing in your area.

Kansas State University has signed an agreement with the Riley County Health Department to assist with contact tracing in the university community. As of Sept. 16, Lafene Health Center is conducting contact tracing and disease investigation for students living on the Manhattan campus and for student-athletes.

By law, contact tracing is conducted through state and local county health departments. The Riley County Health Department asked Lafene Health Center to assist with contact tracing. The Riley County Health Department will continue to complete contact tracing for students living off campus, K-State employees and K-State Athletics employees.

Graduate students in health-related professional programs and student employees at Lafene Health Center are completing the contact tracing. Contact tracers have been trained under the supervision of Jennifer Miller, health promotion director at Lafene Health Center.

The university cannot require that any employee, student or visitor use a contact tracing application. Individuals may utilize contact tracing apps at their own discretion.  The university is investigating technologies which may support and enhance contact tracing and that could be used by employees, students or visitors on a voluntary basis.