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COVID-19 Contact Tracing In LA County Has Been Hindered By Refusals
A graph showing the percentage of people with COVID-19 who have provided information about at least one close contact. (Courtesy L.A. County Public Health Dept.)
Some people are embarrassed, others fear for their jobs and some don’t trust the government.
New numbers from L.A. County health officials show that more than 30% of people with COVID-19 in the county are still not participating in what’s known as contact tracing.
Dr. Muntu Davis, the county's chief medical officer, told reporters today:
"The more that we can do that the more likely we are to be able to stop the transmission among people who may not know that they were exposed or for those who were exposed that just don’t know what to do to prevent spreading it to others."
In August, L.A. County began offering a $20 gift card to those who participate — and more people have been sharing their contacts.
Recently, new COVID-19 cases in the county have ticked up — something health officials are watching closely. Today, the health department confirmed 1,280 new cases and 21 deaths, the second day in a row the number has exceeded 1,000 new cases.
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OVERALL LOOK AT LA COUNTY NUMBERS:
Here's a look at longer-term trends in the county. To see more, visit our California COVID-19 Tracker and choose L.A. County or any other California county that interests you. These numbers are current as of Wednesday, Oct. 7:
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