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Coronavirus - Important information to know

Member news | Thursday, December 15, 2022

Vaccination information Find test sites near you

Find the latest COVID-19 information and resources in English, Español, Tiếng Việt, 中文, and Tagalog from the County of Santa Clara.

Protect yourself and your family

Get vaccinated

Stay up to date with vaccines and boosters. Vaccinations help your body protect against coronavirus. COVID shots reduce the risk of getting sick, hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19.

Everyone ages 5 and up should get an Omicron booster. The Pfizer booster is available for ages 5 and older. The Moderna booster is available for ages 6 and older.

To find a vaccination site near you, visit https://vax.sccgov.org/.

Take action if you think you're infected

If you feel like you have COVID symptoms, you need to get tested and isolate from others. You should also isolate if you are sick and think you have COVID but don't yet have test results.

If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days.

For more information on how to isolate, visit the CDC’s Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 page.

Where can you get tested?

  • Get tested with your (PCP) or
  • Visit SCCFreeTest.org to find no-cost testing sites and ways to get a free test kit.

Remember: There is no cost to SCFHP members for screening and testing for COVID-19.

Treatment

Treatment can prevent hospitalization and death, and it must be started within 5 days of starting to feel sick.

You may be eligible for COVID-19 treatment if you met the following criteria:

  • Must be at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19
  • Must have experienced your first symptoms of COVID-19 within the last 5 days
  • Must not be taking medications that interfere with the possible COVID-19 treatment

How can you find COVID-19 treatment?

For more information about COVID-19 treatment, you can visit:

Prevention

You can't predict every situation. But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of exposure to COVID.

Improving ventilation

Getting fresh air in your home can stop COVID from spreading. Improving ventilation can help you reduce COVID particles indoors.

To improve ventilation

  • Check your home’s filtration system to make sure it’s up to date
  • Use portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaners.
  • Turn your thermostat to the “on” position instead of “auto” to provide your home with continuous airflow.

Avoid contact with infected people

Avoid contact with someone infected or thought to be infected with COVID. Contact with them increases your risk of infection. Instead, wait until they finish isolation or stop showing symptoms.

If staying away isn’t possible, use as many prevention strategies as you can, including:

  • Improving ventilation
  • Washing hands frequently
  • Wearing a mask

Wash your hands

It's important to wash your hands after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Use soap and water and wash for at least 20 seconds.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

It’s especially important to wash:

  • Before eating or preparing food
  • Before touching your face
  • After using the restroom
  • After leaving a public place
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After handling your mask
  • After changing a diaper
  • After caring for someone sick
  • After touching animals or pets

If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

Wear a mask

Although not required, a mask is recommended to be worn whenever around a large group of people in public. These settings include grocery stores and pharmacies.

Visit the CDC website for guidance on masks.

Information about COVID-19 changes quickly. Go to www.scfhp.com/covidvax to read the latest.

Seek medical care

Call your doctor if you develop a fever, have a cough, or have difficulty breathing. Tell them if you’ve been in close contact with someone who is infected or you think is infected.

You can also call the SCFHP Nurse Advice Line to speak to a nurse about what to do.

  • Medi-Cal members can call 1-877-509-0294 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Cal MediConnect and DualConnect members can call 1-844-803-6962 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This service is offered at no cost for Santa Clara Family Health Plan members. The nurse will talk to you over the phone, ask you questions about your symptoms, and will help you figure out:

  • If you need to go to urgent care
  • If you can wait to see your doctor in 24 hours, 3 days, or longer
  • How to take care of your symptoms at home

Additional resources

Get help with mental health

Download this tip sheet from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for taking care of your behavioral health during the coronavirus outbreak.

CalHOPE also provides information and resources on managing stress related to COVID-19 and reducing the impact of stress on your physical and mental health. Call the CalHOPE Warm Line 1-833-317-4673 to talk to someone and connect to resources.

If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions such as sadness, depression, or anxiety, call Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Call Center at 1-800-704-0900 or dial or text 988. If you’re struggling with substance use problems, call Substance Use Services Call Center (formerly Gateway Call Center) at 1-800-488-9919.

If you feel like you want to harm yourself or others, call 911.

Get COVID-19 grief support

Having support from others is important for healing from loss. County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services is partnering with the Bill Wilson Center and other community organizations to provide the following support services to help you cope with grief:

If you, or someone you care about, have lost a loved one as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact the Behavioral Health Services Department Grief Response Team (COVID-19 specific) at 1-408-243-0222 or visit County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services website. You also can click here to find doctors and specialists in our network for behavioral health services.

Get your prescriptions delivered to your home

Avoid going to the Pharmacy

Talk to your doctor about ordering your prescriptions online. To find out more about our mail order services, visit www.medimpactdirect.com or call 1-855-873-8739 (TTY: 711). For Medi-Cal Rx information, visit: www.medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov

Get connected to food

Meals on Wheels Senior Nutrition Program is offering meals to go and take out at most locations. Meals on Wheels is also continuing to provide delivery of meals. Learn more by calling the Meals on Wheels program at 1-408-350-3246.

Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is accepting applications for CalFresh over the phone and online. Call the food connection hotline at 1-800-984-3663 to see if you qualify or visit their website.

Frequently asked questions

Will I have to pay for COVID-19 testing or vaccines?

No. There is no cost to SCFHP members for screening, testing, or vaccinations for COVID-19.

The pharmacy is out of my medication. What do I do?

Our mail order pharmacy, MedImpact Direct, may have your medication in stock. They can help transfer your prescription. You can get a 90-day supply of most prescription maintenance medications mailed to you through MedImpact Direct. Visit www.medimpactdirect.com or call 1-855-873-8739 (TTY: 711). For Medi-Cal Rx information, visit: www.medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov

I am quarantined. How do I get my medication? What if I run out?

Contact your pharmacy or log in to MedImpact Direct to see if you can get your prescription mailed to you. Visit www.medimpactdirect.com or call 1-855-873-8739 (TTY: 711). For Medi-Cal Rx information, visit: www.medi-calrx.dhcs.ca.gov

SCFHP has temporarily removed certain restrictions for getting medications. This only applies to medications that your doctor* prescribed to you from the SCFHP formularies. To see the Medi-Cal Formulary, visit Forms & Documents. To see the DualConnect List of Covered Drugs (Formulary), visit Member Materials.

*Kaiser Permanente is excluded. If you are a SCFHP member in Kaiser’s network, contact Kaiser at www.kp.org.

I need to get to the doctor and don't have transportation. What do I do?

Log in to the mySCFHP member portal to request transportation to and from your medical appointments. Or contact us for help.

Where can I get more information and updates about COVID-19?