Photo By Douglas Stutz | It takes a team…Preventive medicine technicians assigned to NHB/NMRTC Bremerton...... read more read more
They’re part sleuth, part survey, part surveillance.
And all support.
Such is the combined epidemiological ability of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Bremerton’s Preventive Medicine department. They’ve been assigned with the herculean task of contact tracing for each positive COVID-19 contact investigation since day one of the ongoing pandemic outbreak.
Contact tracing is a painstaking process. The preventive medicine technicians (PMTs) meticulously evaluate those who have tested positive for the coronavirus to determine if they have had close contact and exposed anyone and any place. Close contact is described as being within six feet of another for more than 15 minutes without proper personal protection equipment such as a cloth face covering.
“Contact tracing is not easy. It can be time consuming and at times frustrating. It can take anywhere from one hour to one day trying to figure out another person’s past movements. We’re contacting someone and asking them to remember back 14 days from the test date to identify anyone or any place they might have infected. As an important part of any case investigation, it really helps us determine if others have been exposed,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Dawn Dillow, Preventive Medicine department leading chief petty officer.
The need for timely, concise and accurate contact investigation of all COVID-19 cases is deemed crucial in the ongoing effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. As soon as someone’s test results come back positive, the command’s Urgent Care Clinic and Preventive Medicine contact them.
The contact tracing process begins by clarifying administrative, demographic, and clinical status for each person, along with noting predisposing conditions, clinical testing, hospitalization status, and any treatment update(s).
Next comes going over the novel coronavirus exposure timeline – from the test date backward through the exposure period to earliest exposure date - to identify any sources of infection. This requirement focuses on determining locations of potential exposure for the past 48 hours. The more complete, the better. Addresses and phone number of those deemed high-risk. Work – and play - settings. Dates and times of specific places visited, especially any healthcare facilities, schools or day care centers.
“This is where the challenge comes in,” explained Dillow, of Mims, Fla. “We’re relying and hoping that someone doesn’t have selective memory or hold anything back because they’re afraid they might get in trouble. We’re not tattle tails and out to get someone in trouble with their command, which is going to know their status anyway.”
Dillow acknowledged that it can be taxing to recollect every stop, every location and every person someone encountered. It’s not just a person’s normal routine, but shopping, dining, traveling, and any type of gathering.
“We go over suspected exposure settings, checking any that apply from the same household, co-workers and any healthcare environment,” said Dillow, adding that the PMTs query not just before but also after the onset of symptoms, during the contagious period.
Once all the data has been compiled, that information is collected into COVID-19 contact investigation notes listing such details as the names of any contacts, the date exposed, and if the contact is known to be symptomatic with COVID-19 symptoms.
“Our preventive medicine technicians (PMT) have been trained in this and are the best at what they do in their specialty. No one really knew that much about our Preventive Medicine department. Now? They’re showing they are the real deal. This [stopping COVID-19] is what they’ve all trained for. They know this is serious and important, and do not take their responsibility lightly. They have taken on the challenge of conducting the contact tracings along with all their other duties supporting ship, shore and submarine commands. Their attitude has been tremendous in balancing everything,” commented Dillow.
One such PMT is Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Tiffany Hubbard, who has worked tirelessly with on contact tracing. Hubbard and her counterparts have been going almost non-stop since March.
“We’re one of the first notified of a (COVID-19) positive case. That notification kicks off a chain of events that we oversee and contribute,” explained Hubbard, from Antofagasta, Chile. “Upon notification from the lab or ordering provider, we notify the COVID-19 subject matter experts and chain of command. We then call the individual to find who might have been exposed so we can track and monitor them to keep our community safe.”
Accomplishing their tracing task is not done electronically or automatically. Its boots on deck to contact a specific individual, then rely – and prompt if needed - on that person to honestly remember their movements and interactions with others.
Along with Hubbard, the Preventive Medicine department team lineup is Hospital Corpsman 1st Class James Gibbens, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Ryan Kowalski, Hospital Corpsmen 3rd Classes Brandon Bazeluk, Amanda Claborn, Brandon Fletcher, Phillip Gomez, and Ricardo Silva, augmented by HM2 Edwin Requeno and HM3 Stephen Hohner.
Although the PMTs deal primarily with active duty personnel, they have conducted contact tracing for a few civilians – federal civil service – before funneling the compiled info to Kitsap Public Health District.
"Once contact tracing is completed, it is sent to Kitsap Public Health District as part of the case investigation. Our relationship is close. We essentially work with the county,” Dillow noted.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2020 09:15 |
| Story ID: | 375983 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 263 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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