Oneida County Health Department Ceases COVID-19 Contact Tracing

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that the Oneida County Health Department is no longer contact tracing COVID-19 cases.

“The surging Omicron variant has led to a staggering number of daily positive COVID-19 infections,” Picente said. “There is no way that local health departments can keep up with the overwhelming volume, so beginning today, we will no longer contact trace cases. Isolation and quarantining must now be self-maintained. Positive infections will continue to be notified, and we will still provide case investigation in some instances.”

County residents will continue to be notified by the county Health Department by phone, text or email if they test positive for COVID-19, but contacts to positive infections will not be. Positive individuals should notify those who they were in close contact with.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19, and those who know they have been in contact with someone who is positive, should review the updated isolation and quarantine procedures in the COVID-19 section of www.ocgov.net, or by clicking here.

Isolation is required of anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status. An individual can exit from isolation if asymptomatic after five days.

Quarantining is only required of unvaccinated individuals and of those who have not received their booster shot (if eligible). Those in quarantine can exit after five days without symptoms.

After isolation or quarantine protocols have been fulfilled, individuals can obtain self-attestation paperwork from the COVID-19 section of www.ocgov.net, or by clicking here for isolation forms and here for quarantine forms.

Those requiring assistance can contact the county Health Department by calling 315-798-5431 or by emailing publichealth@ocgov.net.