Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Oklahoma Guard supports statewide COVID-19 contact tracing By Tech. Sgt. Kasey Phipps
                Oklahoma National Guard
 OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma National Guard is assisting the Oklahoma State Department of Health with COVID-19 contact tracing to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. In this latest push, members of the Oklahoma Guard, like many other Guard members throughout the nation, are helping trace and monitor the contacts of infected people within the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We’re minimizing the spread and helping with the community,” said Oklahoma Army National Guard Sgt. Anna Aranda, a member of the 120th Forward Support Company, 90th Troop Command, in Altus. She is the noncommissioned officer in charge for the Guard members working at the Texas County Health Department in Guymon. “We’re working closely with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and making a tremendous impact with them,” she said. “You know, they needed our help, and so we’re here.” The tracing, which begins with a positive COVID-19 test, follows the same procedures for any other disease or contagion tracing process. An employee from the Department of Health makes the initial call, informing the individual of a positive test result, but only after confirming their identity. They then work with the call recipient to voluntarily build a list of contacts who could have had exposure to the infected individual. That list gets passed to a trained person who follows up with each of the contacts. “There’s the same procedure, same protocol, same stratagems to limit exposure,” said Eddie Garza, a disease intervention specialist with the Oklahoma State Department of Health. “But morbidity is so high here and actually everywhere in Oklahoma, but especially in Texas County, that we needed reinforcements. The National Guard has been a tremendous help in contact tracing, because for one person who tests positive, we’ve had upwards of 10 to 15, sometimes 25 contacts.” Guard members, working in a sort of call center, are trained to call each of the contacts while also protecting any identifying or medical information. Subjects are educated about symptoms and prevention and resources such as food and supplies for those who need to quarantine. “We make phone calls and we inform them of their possible contact, and the response has been great,” said Aranda. “Most everyone has been polite, encouraging and thanking us for following up with them. A lot of them are worried, you know, of course, and you’ve got to show empathy, you build a kind of trust with them.” For Aranda’s region, which focuses heavily on Guymon, a special skill set that goes further than their contact tracing training is especially important, being bilingual. The population of Guymon speaks 37 different languages, and for those other than English, Spanish is most prominent. “We want to help the community to feel safe and for them to have an understanding of what we’re saying,” said Aranda. “We have three Service members who are bilingual, and they are a tremendous asset to our team. You want to speak the language that you’re comfortable with. So that’s what we do, and that gives them peace of mind when we call them.” Aranda, who is one of the three bilingual Service members there, says their ability to communicate with the community has really built rapport with those they have contacted. “They’re not afraid,” Aranda said. “They’re not scared. So it makes me feel great that we’re making such a big impact in this community. It’s an amazing feeling. You can’t beat that.” Aranda said the trust between the community and the Guard members is paramount to the success of the mission. “When we do contact tracing, there is fear that people have in the community about privacy,” Aranda said. “So we’re not there to worry about what they’re doing. We’re just worried about their symptoms and making sure that they are aware that they came in contact with somebody with COVID-19. So our goal is to make them aware so they can help [prevent] the spread, and they’re usually grateful for that.” An exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Guymon demanded more contract tracing. Since their arrival in May, members of the Oklahoma Air and Army National Guard have more than doubled the calling and testing capacity in the area. “I really appreciate the National Guard coming out and being so willing [to help],” said Terri Salisbury, Oklahoma State Department of Health regional director. “Most people don’t come to Guymon, Oklahoma, and they’ve all been great. They’ve stayed and worked through the weekends and everything else. So I’m very, very thankful for them.”
 SHARE
 PRINT
 Oklahoma National Guard supports statewide COVID-19 contact tracing
 How the National Guard is helping
  Photos of the National Guard response
  COVID-19 guidance from the CDC
  U.S. response
  White House-CDC response
 COVID-19
 voluntary contact tracing
 Oklahoma National Guard
 
 NY National Guard Wraps up Federally Funded COVID-19 Mission
 By Eric Durr,
  Vermont National Guard Concludes COVID-19 Missions
 By Capt. Mikel Arcovitch,
  Wisconsin National Guard wraps up nursing care support
 By Maj. Joe Trovato,
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 2 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 9 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 10 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil