GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — As the COVID-19 numbers continue to grow, a new problem is springing up for contact tracers trying to get a grip on the virus.
Contact tracers with state and local health departments are reporting that younger people, mostly under 30, are are refusing to answer, withholding information, or even lying about where they’ve been in recent weeks. That’s information important to understanding where the virus is spreading.
“They’re being met with resistance when inquiries are made to an individual regarding activities or work,” Brown County Health Department Spokesperson Claire Paprocki told WTAQ. “Some individuals might feel like they’re going to get into trouble with their employer or family.”
Paprocki says you won’t get into trouble with anyone regardless of where you’ve been, as your information won’t even be shared without your consent thanks to patient privacy laws.
“If a bartender is making X amount of money in tips each shift, they may not want to stay home,” Paprocki explained. “There’s extra incentive to come to work sick.”
The reluctance is creating quite the puzzle for contact tracers, who are tasked with contacting people who either test positive for COVID-19, or who have been in contact with someone who has, and tracking where they have recently been to understand who might be at risk.
“What our contact tracers are seeing is that they’re only getting part of the story,” said Paprocki.
Contact tracers are able to piece together the truth through contacting other people a positive patient may have been in contact with, but it’s a time-consuming process that adds to an already-heavy workload.
The 20-29 age group has had higher COVID-19 infection growth in recent weeks than any other age group. The demographic makes up a plurality of infections in the state, making up 25% of all cases in Wisconsin.
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