The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is set to offer $20 gift cards to individuals infected with the coronavirus if they participate in contact tracing, officials said Tuesday.

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to increase, Public Health is providing $10 million to community-based organizations, particularly in the hardest-hit communities, to encourage participation with case investigation and contact tracing efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the department.

“Contact tracing is a simple, confidential process that has been used by public health departments for decades to slow the spread of infectious diseases and avoid outbreaks,” according to Public Health officials.

Public Health is also piloting a $20 gift card incentive program to thank individuals for participating in the hour-long contact tracing interview, according to the department.

If a person has a positive lab result for COVID-19, expect a public health specialist from the Department to contact them by phone to interview them.

Public Health is expected to leave a call back number if necessary, and If they cannot reach the patient by phone, they are set to send a letter, according to officials.

During the interview, a public health specialist is set to ask those with coronavirus where they have been prior to receiving positive test results, according to officials.

Following the interview, the specialist is set to contact all the places you have mentioned visiting informing them they were in contact with someone who has tested positive, according to officials.

However, Public Health will not share your identity or contact information with who they inform, according to a written statement.

For Santa Clarita residents who may be infected with the virus and receive a voicemail or letter from Public Health are being strongly urged to return their phone calls.

“Contact tracing is a valuable tool for slowing the spread of COVID-19, and that’s why we’re providing $10 million to community-based organizations and piloting a $20 gift card incentive for full participation in the interview process,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of Public Health. “Contact tracing cannot slow this virus on its own. We need our residents and our businesses to heed public health directives.”

This contact tracing pilot progam comes on the heals of the County seeing two of the highest hospitalization number thus far, according to officials.

On Monday, the second straight day, Public Health confirms the highest number of new hospitalizations reported in a day with 2,232 people currently hospitalized, surpassing Sunday’s count of 2,216 hospitalizations, according to officials.

Of the 2,232 confirmed COVID-19 cases currently hospitalized, 26 percent of these people are confirmed cases in the ICU and 19 percent are confirmed cases on ventilators.

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