Professor of Biology Mark Kainz featured on television segment as a contact tracer

Professor of Biology Mark Kainz was profiled Wednesday, July 22, on WLUK-TV, Fox 11 News. Kainz has been working over the summer as a contact investigator for COVID-19 for Winnebago County Public Health, near Ripon College.

He interviews people who have been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19 and gives them guidance to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

“Most of the time when I contact someone, they already know they’ve been exposed,” he says in the segment. “We’re trying our best to keep the virus from spreading in the community and one way we can do that is to help people know that they’ve been exposed.”

The report says investigators want people to know they’re trying to protect the community, not out to bust anyone. “We’re not the COVID cops,” Kainz says. “We’re actually on people’s side. We want to help the community and the individuals in it be healthy. While I’m sure it’s not on the top of anybody’s list to get called by a contact tracer, we’re actually trying to help you.”