Write a commentIn March the Oswego County Health Department launched its COVID-19 Hotline (phone 315-349-3330) to help respond to the evolving public health threat posed by the novel coronavirus.
Since then, the hotline has responded to more than 2,200 calls from people across the county.
Staff from within the Health Department and across the county’s workforce have stepped up to provide coverage for the service seven days a week, allowing residents the opportunity to talk to a representative about the latest guideline on masks, statewide Executive Orders, or to talk with a nurse about symptoms and scheduling a test for COVID-19.
“This effort has truly been a collaboration amongst county departments and the community,” said County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup. “Four different county departments have representatives working to answer the residents’ questions along with health department staff. I am very proud of the teamwork among our county workers on the front lines, and the people in the community who have stepped up to lend their expertise.”
“We staff the hotline daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and after hours there is an option to speak with a representative as well, if you are not feeling well or have questions about testing,” said Diane Oldenburg, Senior Public Health Educator for the Oswego County Health Department. “This isn’t the first time the Health Department has operated a phone bank; we had experience in setting up an operation like this during the H1N1 flu outbreak.”
Emily Boyle, a Health Educator with the Oswego County Health Department, helps to lead the phone bank efforts along with fellow Health Educator Sonia Robinson. Assigned staff are trained and updated guidance is provided daily. “Being able to interact with the public and provide reassurance is the best part of working on the phone bank. Keeping up with the constantly changing guidance from the state and federal agencies is the hardest part,” stated Boyle.
“Another challenge came from spacing, trying to make sure we had the ability to practice social distancing within our space, while still being able to have staff support each other in answering the questions of the public was a concern,” added Oldenburg.
In response to the volume of calls requesting testing and triaging of sick residents, a second bank of phones was set up and staffed strictly by nurses. There they can discuss a caller’s signs and symptoms and schedule them for COVID-19 testing if warranted. This team of nurses is led by Chantel Eckert, Supervising Public Health Nurse with the Oswego County Health Department.
The nurses staffing this effort work for the county Health Department or have volunteered to come in and help. Tricia Wilckens and Crystal Decker are two of the many nurses who are helping to staff the nurses phone bank. Both are school nurses. They agreed that this was an opportunity help the community.
“I saw it as an opportunity to fulfill a need in the community. People I talk to are sometimes sick, scared or alone, I’m able to identify needs they may have and help get those needs met,” said Decker. “Sometime people just need reassurance,” added Wilckens.
Jennifer DeVincenzo is a Forensic Nurse Examiner and travel nurse who specializes in radiology and women’s health, who came to help with the phone bank while she was between travel contracts. She had just finished a contract with the Centers for Disease Control at the quarantine station at Liberty Airport in Newark, NJ. Devincenzo saw this as a way to “get out and do something to help.” She will be leaving shortly to go to a hospital in New York City.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the Health Department will continue to provide information to residents on the disease, the latest guidelines, and links to resources.
The Oswego County COVID-19 Hotline is staffed daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Outside of those hours, there is an option for people to be connected to a health department representative if they have urgent questions. To reach the hotline, call 315-349-3330. Additional information can also be found on the county’s Covid-19 website at health.oswegocounty.com/Covid-19.
