CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Healthcare workers across Hampton Roads are feeling the pressure as COVID-19 case numbers surge.
The Chesapeake Health Department has hired more contact tracers to keep up with demand.
Contact tracers are part of Virginia's plan to slow the spread of COVID-19.
They're hired to call everyone who tests positive for the virus, to see who they could have spread it to, but Chesapeake Healthcare leaders said a backlog in testing is creating its own set of challenges.
“They are slammed," explained Lisa Engle. "We went from having two in the very beginning, on the weekends, and now we are up to seven or ten, just on the weekends.”
Engle works as an epidemiologist with the Chesapeake Health Department. She said currently the department employs more than 25 contact tracers.
“We are getting more, and we are having other staff that is not able to do other things right now because of this closure," she said. "Other staff is assisting in that."
She said the biggest challenge they face is the delay in people getting their testing results.
“After a certain amount of time, when you get the results after the fact, it’s not helping control this outbreak,” Engle said.
On Wednesday, Virginia Department Health officials discussed contact tracing, testing efforts and health disparities with the pandemic.
“Our data shows that the test positivity rates in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, and Hampton range from 9.9-18.6%,” explained State Health Commissioner, Dr. Norman Oliver.
Oliver said he believes contact tracing is still crucial, despite the backlog in testing.
“A couple of days ago, on July 27, Virginia contact tracers were able to reach a little more than 74% of the cases,” Oliver said.
Oliver said leaders are trying to come up with ways to get faster test results, so contact tracers can better do their jobs.
Engle said if you believe you have COVID-19, it’s crucial you stay home and wait for your test results.