State health officials are looking to hire more contact tracers and nurses to better control the spread of coronavirus and prepare for any potential surges in covid-19 cases.

Contact tracing is the process of identifying, notifying and monitoring anyone who came in close contact with an individual who tested positive for covid-19 while they were infectious, state officials said. A news release did not reveal the salary for contact tracers.

“As covid-19 cases increase, we continue our efforts to support, strengthen and expand in order to conquer any potential surge in covid-19 cases,” Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said in a statement. “Without case investigations, the proven public health strategies, like contact tracing efforts and monitoring, would not be possible. Contact tracing is critical to identify any instances of community spread and prevent larger outbreaks to keep Pennsylvania safe from covid-19.”

The state is working to build additional support for any new increases in covid-19 cases.

As of July 13, the state had 649 contact tracers. The breakdown of where those contact tracers were are as follows:

North Central District: 37 contact tracers South Central District: 73 contact tracers Northeast District: 69 contact tracers Southeast District: 380 contact tracers Northwest District: 29 contact tracers Southwest District: 61 contact tracers

State officials are working with community business organizations, employers, federally qualified health centers, county human services organizations, foundations and health systems and colleges and universities in each of those districts to determine contract-tracing needs.

Positions that need to be filled include contact-tracing field managers and community health nurses.

Contact tracing field managers would allow each coordinator to foster relationships with their regional partners and manage contact tracers within their respective region, state officials said. Community health nurses will assist with covid-19 case investigations.

Between June 29 and July 13, contact tracers enrolled 3,638 contacts in the Sara Alert system, a web-based monitoring tool that works alongside the state’s National Electronic Disease Surveillance System to help contact tracers track, monitor, isolate and test symptomatic covid-19 contacts.

Through the system, contact tracers are able to provide daily guidance to covid-19 cases and any identified close contacts via e-mails, texts or phone calls.

More information on contact tracing and how to apply for a position can be found here.

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