More than 60 USF students and faculty members are dispersed across the state of 91社区 to assist the 91社区 Department of Health in identifying people who鈥檝e come in contact with someone who鈥檚 tested positive for the coronavirus. They鈥檙e focused on finding those considered 鈥榟igh-risk鈥�, meaning someone who may have attended the same gathering, or were in close proximity.
The USF community is devoted to helping stop the spread of COVID-19. Within a day of the state鈥檚 request for assistance, nearly 200 USF students and faculty members applied to volunteer. Their main objective is to track where that person had been over the last two weeks and with whom they had direct contact.
鈥淥ur students and faculty were quick to answer the call when the 91社区 Department of Health needed it most. Public health is a passion and they are putting their passion to work, said Janice Zgibor, PhD, professor of epidemiology and associate dean for academic affairs. 鈥淲hile this situation is difficult, this is an unprecedented training opportunity.鈥�
Shawn McCort is a first-year graduate student working toward his master's degree in public health with a concentration on epidemiology and global communicative disease. He鈥檚 assisting the West Palm Beach Health Department in the epidemiology unit in developing a timeline to determine who鈥檚 been put at risk. He鈥檚 connecting remotely with people who鈥檝e tested positive and says they鈥檝e all been highly supportive of being quarantined. McCort is using their information and has connected with airlines, restaurants and individuals. He said all of the people he鈥檚 informed that they鈥檙e considered 鈥榟igh-risk鈥� are generally aware they鈥檝e interacted with someone with the coronavirus.
鈥淭his speaks to the sense of community present here, people aren't hiding their diagnosis, and nobody is shamed for it,鈥� said McCort. 鈥淓pidemiology is the science of disease but here we are learning rather quickly that it is more of an art because every case has its own nuances, and we have to prioritize high risk over anyone else.鈥�
Like McCort, majority of the volunteers are from the College of Public Health. The others represent the Colleges of Engineering, Behavioral and Community Sciences, Education, Nursing, and Arts and Sciences. They represent a variety of disciplines, selected for their varying backgrounds that can be utilized in the state鈥檚 efforts.
Miriam Escobar served as an emergency responder while in the Air Force. Her bilingual skills are proving to be of great assistance to the Miami-Dade Department of Health where she鈥檚 stationed over the next two weeks. Escobar is performing epidemiological investigations over the phone and is set to receive her master's degree in public health with a focus on occupational exposure this summer. She鈥檚 been following up with contacts daily, noting any symptomatic changes.
鈥淪ome calls are very emotional as you learn how it started with one family member and then another ends up being the sole caregiver for the household,鈥� said Escobar. 鈥淎lthough I cannot solve their issues, I am able to listen, be present during our conversation, and offer support. It is nice to be that shoulder for someone.鈥�
Rachel Ilic is a working toward her master's degree in public health with a concentration on infection control. She鈥檚 been an epidemiologist at the Pinellas County Health Department for five years and has been responsible for investigating high-priority cases, such as bioterrorism and meningococcal outbreaks. In responding to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Ilic is now part of the investigations unit within the Incident Management Team.
The USF volunteers say one of their biggest challenges has been keeping up with evolving changes to local and state mandates and providing the latest testing and retesting guidelines. They鈥檙e also finding many of the people they鈥檙e connecting with are in need of essential supplies and support.
USF just launched the to assist students impacted the financial challenges caused by COVID-19. Donations will help address urgent needs like food, toiletries, rent money and other basic essentials