MDH Sending Text Messages Ahead of Phone Call

No one wants to answer a phone call when you don't know who is calling. There are so many scams going on, and robo calls that no one wants to deal with.  So, virtually no one answers the phone when it's some seemingly random call.

The issue is that when you get a positive COVID-19 test, the health department will give you a call and talk about the contact tracing.  This is so they can determine who else may be infected and who needs to possible quarantine until they receive a negative test, and/or make it through the incubation period.  By their own admission, there are still things that they don't know about this virus, and are still trying to figure it out until a vaccine is readily available.   BTW- that is when there could be  any sort of herd immunity that we have been hearing so much about.  There needs to be a vaccine in order for that to work efficiently.  

To  be more  efficient, and to have more people reached by the Minnesota Department of Health, they are planning to send out a text message letting the recipient know that a call will be coming.  That way, they are hoping to have more people answer their phone when an unknown number comes up.

"We hope that the text will alert people to the fact that we will be calling," said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. "We've seen from colleagues in other states and some of our local health department colleagues who have been using this text feature, that it does in fact make people more likely to answer the call."

So,  if you happen to text positive for the coronavirus, don't be surprised if you receive a text message from the MDH.  It's not a scam, they will be  texting and then calling you to discuss  your next moves.  Or the moves of the people who you may have been in contact with.