Following questions posed by several residents seeking more information about people who have tested positive for COVID-19 within Donley County, and the Enterprise contacted the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) for clarification.
Larger cities and counties (the City of Amarillo, for example) have their own health departments and may release more detailed information. Many small rural counties like Donley, however, do not have their own health department, in which case that role is filled by TDSHS.
One of the most frequently asked questions has been which city within the county these patients live in, but TDSHS does not release that information.
“Epidemiological investigations are confidential,” said TDSHS Communication Specialist Lyndsey Rosales. “Therefore, we only share the amount of information that could not be used to identify a person. DSHS regional offices serve many counties across Texas, therefore we only report at the county-level because some jurisdictions are very small.”
Residents have also asked questions regarding the “contact investigation” that is done on each COVID-19 patient and when or if it might be released the locations these patients might have been.
“The investigation can take a few days or weeks, depending on the complexity of the case,” Rosales said. “If during the course of the investigation it is determined that the person may have exposed members of the public, the health department would notify county officials. Those officials would provide appropriate guidance to the public if necessary.”
Local officials have also said that as the number of cases increases, it will likely take the health department longer to conduct contact investigations.
County Judge John Howard, MD, has recommended that everyone act as though the COVID-19 virus is everywhere and that every public surface is potentially contaminated.
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