Answering the Call

As Oregon continues to work to reopen, the state reminds residents that one key strategy to help stop the spread of COVID-19 is contract tracing. Contract tracers have been hired for each county in Oregon to call people who may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The goal of contact tracing is to provide the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) with guidance and support and further prevent spread of the virus. OHA is working closely with local public and Tribal health departments on a statewide coordinated contact tracing effort.

If you receive a call from a contract tracer, you are encouraged to answer it. If you are concerned about answering a call from a phone number you don’t recognize, let it go to voicemail.

Contract tracers are instructed to leave a voicemail clearly identifying themselves and will leave information to call them back. The voicemail will not contain any health information.

OHA is committed to protecting your privacy. If you are contacted, your information will be kept strictly confidential and will be treated as a confidential public health record. Your information will not be shared with other agencies, including immigration officials.

Contract tracers will ask questions that include the county you live in, your date of birth, your contact information (including phone number, email address and mailing address), your occupation, whether you have symptoms of COVID-19 and questions about race, ethnicity, language and disability information in order to provide more equitable services.

Contract tracers will never ask for: your social security number, your immigration status, your credit card number or any bank account information.

If you receive a call from anyone requesting this information, hang up. It could be someone trying to use your information for a scam. Do not answer future calls from that number.

Report the incident to the Oregon Department of Justice online at OregonConsumer.gov.

Answering the Call

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