Contact Tracing

 
 
 
 
 
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What you need to know

Contact tracing is key to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and helps protect you, your family, and your community.

If you're diagnosed with COVID-19, someone from the health department may call you to:

  • Check on your health
  • Discuss who you have been around
  • Ask where you have spent time while you may have been able to spread COVID-19 to others

It's important to answer the phone.

You may also receive text message notifications to let you know someone will be in contact with you soon. Text messages you may receive would be the following:

  • Positive Patients may receive a text from 91908 that says:
    NE DHHS: The NE COVID-19 Response Team will soon contact you. PLEASE answer any unfamiliar numbers for the next 24-48hrs to protect yourself, family & friends.
  • Close Contacts of positive COVID-19 individuals may receive a text from 91908 that says:
    NE DHHS: Your phone # has been identified as a close contact of someone w/COVID-19. The NE COVID-19 Response Team will soon contact you. PLEASE answer any unfamiliar numbers for the next 24-48hrs.
Contact Tracing Infographic
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Discussions with health department staff are confidential.

This means that your name and personal and medical information will be kept private and only shared with those who may need to know, like your health care provider.

  • Your name will not be shared with those you came in contact with. The health department will only notify people you were in close contact with (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) that they might have been exposed to COVID-19.

The health department staff will not ask you for

  • Social Security number
  • Bank account information
  • Salary information
  • Credit card numbers
  • Money

If you've been around someone diagnosed with COVID-19, someone from the health department may call you.

Stay at home and away from others if you've been around someone diagnosed with COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms.

  • Stay away from others, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, such as older adults and people with other medical conditions, if possible.
  • If you have been around someone with COVID-19, stay at home and away from others for 10 days (self-quarantine) after your last contact with that person and monitor your health.
  • If you have a fever, cough or other symptoms of COVID-19, stay at home away from others (except to get medical care or testing, if recommended).
  • If you need support or assistance while in self-quarantine, your health department or community organizations may be able to provide assistance.

If you are concerned about a phone call you received from someone identifying themselves as part of the COVID-19 response team or disease investigator, you can contact your local health department or the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services at (402) 471-6450 to verify the legitimacy of the call.