Johnston, Iowa -- 132d Wing Airmen along with Iowa Army National Guard Soldiers operated a call center at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. The goal of the call center was contact tracing of COVID-19 patients to get current data on the spread of the virus.
The Soldiers and Airmen were augmenting the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). The IDPH will use the data to learn where the virus might spread to, where new potential hotspots are and to determine where testing centers should be in place.
“I think it’s very important for us to track our contracts symptoms,” said Staff Sgt. Jon Linn, 132d Wing firefighter. “The symptoms that we’re asking about helps the IDPH study and learn what this virus is doing to people.”
Contact tracing involves calling Iowans who tested positive for COVID- 19 and asking questions about their symptoms and people in close contact with them. People with possible exposure are also notified of the risk of infection.
“These calls will help us better diagnose and test people in the future,” said Linn.