Local contact tracing efforts will be increasing significantly this week as the Pima County Health Department and Maximus Health Services, Inc.’s expanded workforce begins making calls.
The new contact tracing teams have completed training and will be starting calls this week. If you get a call from (833) and prefix 771 or area code (520) and prefix 724, please answer the call (the remaining four numbers of the caller ID will be different as numerous phone numbers are being used for the contact tracing effort). Caller ID will display as “Pima Health Dept.”
You will only receive a call if you have tested positive for COVID-19 (a “case”) or are listed as contact of a case. You will be asked about your symptoms: if you have any, when they began, and where you have been since two days before they started. You will be reminded of isolation practices or what to look for if you do start to feel sick. You will be asked if you need help getting anything while in isolation (if applicable).
On July 6, the Department announced a contract with Maximus to manage expanded contact tracing in Pima County. Maximus was flooded with applications for the new positions and hired over 130 people as contact tracers, contact tracing supervisors, and case investigators. Maximus is still accepting applications for the supervisor and case investigator jobs.
“In March, when Pima County had our first confirmed case of COVID-19, we had 5 staff working on case investigations and contact tracing,” said Dr. Theresa Cullen, Director of the Health Department. “Throughout March, April, and May, we reassigned and trained other Health Department staff to meet the extraordinary need to do case investigations and contact follow-ups. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed our systems – public health, hospitals, and so many resources across the board. This partnership with Maximus allows more community intervention to slow the spread of the virus.”
Be aware of scams: The Health Department and Maximus will never ask you for your social security number or insurance information for case investigation and contact tracing.
To learn more about contact tracing or if you are interested in applying to be a contact tracing supervisor or case investigator with Maximus for Pima County, visit
www.pima.gov/cov and click on “Contact Tracing Info & Jobs” for information.