It’s not a scam: Pueblo Public Health urges people to stop ignoring their calls

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — Pueblo Public Health is asking people to answer their phones, or at the very least, to call them back. The health department says people are ignoring their calls from COVID-19 case investigators or contact tracers because they think it’s a scammer calling.

The health department could be calling to tell someone that they are positive for COVID-19. Without returning their call, people could be exposing others unknowingly.

Sarah Joseph, a representative for Pueblo Public Health, explained why some people are ignoring their messages.

“When it goes through the carrier’s lines, it turns up as an out-of-country call,” Joseph said. “So it’s understandable why people aren’t answering their calls.”

Pueblo Public Health encourages people to listen to their voicemail and call the health department back. Health officials will ask identifying questions like name and birthdate. However, they will not ask for any financial information or for your Social Security Number.

If you are still hesitant to return a call from an unknown number, Pueblo Public Health recommends calling them directly at 719-583-4300.

Pueblo Public Health also advises people to wait seven days from exposure to get a COVID-10 test.

“That will make the test more likely to be accurate and give you good information about where you stand with the virus," Pueblo Public Health Director Evetts said.

The health department has found that it takes about one full week for the virus to be prevalent enough in the body to get an accurate test result. If people get tested immediately after exposure or experiencing mild symptoms, it could result in a false negative.