Coronavirus Pennsylvania: Amid Protests, Health Officials Emphasize Importance Of Contact Tracing To Get Virus Under Control
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Doctors say those protesting the statewide shutdown of non-essential businesses in Harrisburg Monday are putting themselves at risk for being exposed to COVID-19. Health officials have warned lifting restrictions too soon would be dangerous.
Health officials say the shutdown of non-essential businesses is the best way to contain the spread of the virus and reopening too early could cause a resurgence.
A big part of managing the outbreak is adequate testing and determining how widespread the virus is.
Pushing back against protesters who want the economy reopened, many doctors are warning it's not safe yet.
"Unless we get the virus under control, the real recovery economically is not going to happen," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Health officials say getting the virus under control depends a lot on contact tracing.
"We know it's important to not just know the positive cases but who, in an infectious disease, who they have been in contact with," Utah public health official Gary Edwards said.
In contact tracing, a person who tests positive tells the health department who they've been in contact with. The health department then alerts those people and asks them to monitor their symptoms and to quarantine if needed.
"For every new case, there's about three to five close contacts," Dr. Mike Reid said.
Not everyone who comes into contact with someone who's infected will get sick.
Officials say tracing to determine how widespread the virus is will help them know when it's safe for people to interact.
"The last thing any of us want to do is lift these restrictions too early and find ourselves two months from now right back in this situation where we have to close everything down again," said Montgomery County Board Of Commissioners Chair Dr. Valerie Arkoosh.
Health officials say contact tracing is continuing with as many of the newly-identified cases as possible.
Those who have been with people who are infected are being told to self-quarantine for two weeks.