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Upstate Covid Information Hotline surpasses 100,000 callers

Upstate Medical University’s Upstate Covid Information Hotline has now handled more than 102,000 calls. The hotline reached the 100,000-milestone last month.

Upstate begin the hotline at the start of COVID-19’s appearance in the United States, back in March 2020. It has been in operation ever since, answering questions on symptoms, treatments, testing and vaccines.

The hotline is co-directed by Joey Angelina, MS, RN, and Michele Caliva, MA, BSN, RN, CSPI.

“This hotline was and continues to be a much-needed resource during this pandemic,” Angelina said. “Callers can get direct answers to their questions within minutes. With so much information out in the community, it’s important to offer this resource that can address specific questions.”

In March 2020, Upstate quickly mobilized and trained its staff and opened a call center in the basement of Clark Tower. When the campus shut down, nurses and others, including retirees and staff from the hospital answered calls from home.

The algorithms to triage calls were developed by clinical staff at Upstate.

Caliva said the hotline has been especially useful for symptomatic individuals looking for additional information. “If an individual is showing possible symptoms, or may have had an exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, the hotline will guide one to the next steps, when to call a doctor or seek immediate assistance.”

Most common symptoms cited by callers were muscle pain, cough and headache and gastrointestinal issues.

Most calls, 84 percent, were from Onondaga County. Others were from Oswego, Madison, Cayuga, Cortland and Jefferson counties.

Upstate’s COVID-19 hotline number is 315-464-3979. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and beginning this weekend Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to noon.                       

In addition to the hotline, individuals are welcome to email questions to CovidVaccineInfo@Upstate.edu. Staff will respond within 24 hours.

Caption:  Co-directors of Upstate's COVID Information Hotline are Michele Caliva, left, Joey Angelina.

 

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