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A viral Facebook post falsely claiming new federal legislation would allow the government to forcibly remove people from their homes is an example of one of the many messaging challenges facing Georgia’s growing team of contact tracers. The state Department of Public Health wants to quadruple the number of tracers it employs in the weeks ahead, to upwards of 1,000, as it looks to contain the spread of COVID-19. It’s now embarking on a mini public relations campaign to explain to Georgians what contact tracing is — and clear up a bevy of misconceptions about the kind of information the state is collecting. (Hallerman, 5/22)

As layoffs continue to mount, one job is in demand in almost all 50 states and urgently requires workers. To safely reopen the U.S. economy, the nation needs an army of contact tracers—at least 184,000 of them, according to one estimate by researchers at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said as many as 17,000 tracers will be hired in the coming months in New York state alone. (Dill, 5/21)

Carrie Moran made the cold call while Maria Ramirez, a Spanish-speaking health assistant, crouched over the speakerphone at the edge of the desk. “Did they call you yet with your results?” Ramirez said, interpreting for the Maryland man in his 30s on the other end of the line. He said no. “We’re calling to let you know that you tested positive for covid-19.” “Oh, sí,” the man replied softly after a pause. (Wiggins, 5/21)

Marylanders might soon receive phone calls from “MD COVID," and though it may be tempting to let it ring, the state’s reopening and recovery could depend on enough people answering. The state has hired about 1,400 contact tracers tasked with tracking down those who have been exposed to the coronavirus as part of its plan to move the state toward a safe and complete reopening. (Miller, 5/21)