Information for Public Health

DSHS has provided the below resources for public health professionals investigating possible cases of COVID-19.

On this page:

• Disease Reporting & Case Definitions
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
• Contact Tracing
• Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs)
• Isolation Precautions for COVID-19
• Persons Under Investigation (PUIs)
• Laboratory Testing

• Disease Reporting & Case Definitions
• DSHS COVID-19 Variant Case Guidance (PDF, V.1.0, released 3/17/2021)
• DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Case Guidance (PDF, V.1.0, released 3/12/2021)
• DSHS COVID-19 Reinfection Guidance (PDF, V.1.0, released 3/12/2021)
• DSHS Suspect COVID-19 Case Reporting Guidance (PDF, V.1.0, released 12/11/2020)
• Determining Texas Residency for Immigrants, Refugees, and Detainees (PDF, V.1.0, released 5/26/2020)
• DSHS Case Definition and Investigation Prioritization Guidance (PDF, V.2.0, released 11/01/2020)
• DSHS Epi Case Criteria Guide (PDF, V.2.0, released 11/01/2020)
• DSHS NBS Data Entry Guide (PDF, V.3.0, released 11/24/2020)
• Contact Tracing
• Texas Health Trace for Administrators of Local Health Entities
• CDC Contact Tracing Resources
• ASTHO and NCSD Online Contact Tracing Course
• Isolation Precautions for COVID-19
• DSHS COVID-19 Quarantine Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals (PDF, V.1.0, released 3/12/2021)
• Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings (CDC)
• Duration of Isolation and Precautions for Adults with COVID-19 (CDC)
• CDC Interim Guidance on Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Disposition of Patients in Healthcare Settings
• CDC Interim Guidance on Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19
• Laboratory Testing
• CDC Guidance for COVID‑19 Testing in the Community
• DSHS COVID-19 Specimen Collection and Submission Instructions (PDF, V.8.0, updated 12/16/2020)
• DSHS COVID-19 Antibody Test Specimen Collection and Submission Instructions (PDF, V.4.0, updated 12/22/2020)
• DSHS COVID-19 Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Specimen Collection and Submission Instructions (PDF, V.5.0, updated 2/22/21)
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Reporting Process (PDF, V.2.0, updated 7/02/2020)
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) Associated with COVID-19 Case Report Form Instructions (PDF, V.1.0, released 5/26/2020)
• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19 Case Report Form (CDC)
• Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs)
• Travelers and Community Contacts
• CDC Updated Guidance: Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing (PDF, V.1.0, released 12/02/2020)
• Public Health Recommendations after Travel-Associated COVID‑19 Exposure (CDC)
• Public Health Recommendations for People with Community-Related COVID‑19 Exposure (CDC)
• Critical Infrastructure Workers Who May Have Had Exposure to a Person with COVID-19 (CDC)
• COVID‑19: Updated Health Guidance for Air Carriers and Crews (FAA)
• Interim Guidance for Persons Being Monitored for Potential Exposure to COVID‑19 (ENGLISH) (DOCX, V.4.0, updated 4/13/2020)
• Interim Guidance for Persons Being Monitored for Potential Exposure to COVID‑19 (CHINESE) (DOCX, V.2.1, posted 3/03/2020)
• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‑19) 14‑Day Symptom Monitoring Log (XLSX, V.2.0, updated 6/01/2020)
• Healthcare Personnel
• CDC Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with COVID-19
• Persons Under Investigation (PUIs)
• Evaluating and Testing Persons for COVID‑19 (CDC)
• DSHS COVID-19 Testing Algorithm for DSHS Austin Public Health Laboratory (PDF, V.2.0, updated 4/17/2020)
• DSHS COVID-19 Testing Algorithm for Non-Austin Public Health Laboratories in Texas (PDF, V.6.0, updated 4/17/2020)
• DSHS COVID-19 Case Report Form (PDF, V.4.0, updated 1/30/2021)
• DSHS COVID-19 Contact Investigation Form (PDF, V.2.1, updated 6/09/2020)

Public health professionals can also find interim guidance for ships on the CDC website:
CDC Guidance for Ships

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