The Ohio Department of Health wants your help to figure out just how many people have already come down with COVID-19. However, they’ll need to come to your house and take some blood.
While Coronavirus tests have been nearly impossible to get unless you’re showing symptoms of COVID-19, the state wants to test 1,200 random people for antibodies in their homes. The goal is to find out who’s already caught the virus and successfully recovered.
As soon as next week, randomly selected Ohioans will receive a postcard in the mile inviting them to participate in the statewide study.
Testing is Voluntary
- The testing is voluntary. If you agree to take part, medical personnel will come to your home and test your for COVID-19 with a nasal swab and blood test.
- The postcard will notify you of a time frame for the random visit from a team of health department workers.
- When you receive the postcard, you can opt-out by phone or email.
- If you choose to participate, state health department workers will visit your home. One adult member of your household will be picked to be sampled.
- Even if state health workers visit your home, you can still choose not to participate.
- Once you decide that your household doesn’t want to participate, your home will be removed from the state’s list.
- You won’t be bothered again.
Testing and Tracing
The tests will help the state determine how many people actually came down with the virus and if those people have developed immunity to the disease.
Last week, it was announced that it was ramping up testing and hiring contact tracers to call contacts of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The tracers will collect information on symptoms and provide information about Ohio quarantine procedures. When needed, tracers will refer people for treatment.
The position pays $18.59 an hour. The state anticipates the part-time position to last for between 12 and 18 months. These jobs are mostly work-from-home.