CANTON — St. Lawrence County Public Health says not everyone who tests positive or those who may have been exposed to COVID will receive a call from Public Health moving forward.

Public Health announced that due to the state’s evolving priorities, the department will be focusing their efforts on the most vulnerable populations.

Older adults, school-aged children, daycares, nursing homes, healthcare settings and other congregate settings will now receive the bulk of the department’s efforts, officials say.

Individuals who test positive will need to self-isolate and anyone exposed will need to self-quarantine, officials say.

“We are seeing a higher number of new infections each day than we have seen at any time throughout the entire pandemic and staff are unable to reach all cases and contacts in a timely manner. In an effort to increase the efficiency of contact tracing and our response, our department will be moving to a self-managed isolation and quarantine process,” says Jolene Munger, Public Health Director.

Positive individuals are asked to self-isolate and notify all close contacts that may have been exposed.

Anyone notified that they are a close contact should self-quarantine unless exempt, monitor for symptoms, and seek testing on day 5 after exposure or earlier if symptoms develop.

For information on who is considered a close contact, please visit the NYSDOH Contact Tracing and Case Investigation FAQs.

Employers, schools, daycare settings, healthcare facilities should work with staff, students, and patrons to help identify and notify of exposures that happen in their facilities.

For schools, this may mean a change to a general notification that a student in a class tested positive and in certain situations, students may still be excluded from school.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in St. Lawrence County and throughout the country, officials say it is vital that all residents continue to follow the six pillars of prevention to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The pillars include self-isolating and notifying close contacts if positive, self-quarantine if exposed, wearing a mask when in public, washing hands, staying home when you are sick, getting tested if ill or exposed, and getting vaccinated and boosted.

If you are not yet vaccinated or boosted, visit the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department website or call 315-386-2325 for a list of vaccination clinics and to schedule an appointment.

“We should continue to be doing the six pillars of prevention to protect others and prevent spread when we test positive for COVID-19,” says Munger. “The basic processes of isolation and quarantine are not changing; however, it now will emphasizes personal responsibility for doing the right thing and SLCPH would like to thank those individuals who have complied with Public Health orders.”