COVID-19 TESTING

You SHOULD get tested if:

• You have any of the following new symptoms: Cough, Shortness of breath, Difficulty breathing, or Loss of taste or smell, Fever, Chills, Sore throat, Runny nose/congestion, Muscle pain, Headache, Fatigue, Diarrhea, Nausea, or Vomiting
• You should also be tested if you are asymptomatic but have had close contact (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes) with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Testing should be done 5 days after last contact.

COVID-19 VACCINES

COVID Vaccines – Update

• The CDC recommends that everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group.
• The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require 2 doses given 3-4 weeks apart for optimal protection.
• The vaccines are safe and have extremely high rates of success in preventing COVID-19.

• According to the CDC, boosters are an important part of protecting yourself from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. They are recommended for most people.
  
• The CDC recommends that people ages 5 years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was:
  
  • Their final primary series dose, or
    
  • An original (monovalent) booster
    
• People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) booster are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) booster.

What is a “bivalent” booster? Why is it important to receive a bivalent booster if I already received a “monovalent” booster?

• • The updated (bivalent) boosters are called “bivalent” because they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5. 
  • Previous boosters are called “monovalent” because they were designed to protect against the original virus that causes COVID-19. They also provide some protection against Omicron, but not as much as the updated (bivalent) boosters.

COVID-19 TREATMENT

If you have been diagnosed with Covid and think you might qualify for oral antiviral treatment (Paxlovid or Molnupiravir), please call to speak with our triage team as soon as possible (ideally within 5 days of symptom onset).

People who may qualify for treatment must be 12 years old or older, with one of the following conditions:

• age >65 years
• BMI >25
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Chronic lung disease
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Down’s syndrome
• Heart disease- heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension
• Mental health disorders
• Pregnancy and up to 42 days postpartum
• Sickle cell
• Thalassemia
• Tobacco use
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Immunocompromised states- HIV, autoimmune disease, use of immunosuppressants

MORE INFORMATION

For information about Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide answers to many frequently asked questions at the following sites:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Page
• Philadelphia Department of Public Health – Information and Updates about COVID-19 in Philadelphia