FV Newsletter

Get Your COVID-19 Vaccine!

Protect your children and neighbors going back to school and before the winter COVID-19 season.

CalOptima invites community members 5 years and older to get their vaccine or booster on Saturday, September 17, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at (Key Elementary School) 2000 W. Ball Rd., Anaheim.

To register, call the OCHCA Health Referral Line at 1-800-564-8448 or use Othena.com to register and select a vaccination site. Walk-ins are welcome. Transportation for CalOptima Medi-Cal members can be arranged by calling CalOptima at 1-888-587-8088.

As of August 11, The CDC is streamlining its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus.

COVID-19 continues to circulate globally; however, with so many tools available to us for reducing COVID-19 severity – vaccinations, testing, more information –  there is significantly less risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death compared to the earlier stages of the pandemic.

Current Measures the CDC is taking:

• Continuing to promote the importance of being up to date with vaccinations and boosters to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Those eligible for a booster:
  • 1 Booster is recommended for everyone ages 5 years and older and who has already completed their COVID-19 vaccine primary series. 
  • 2 Boosters are recommended for adults ages 50 years and older and some who are 12 years and older and are moderately or severely immunocompromised. 

• Updating guidance for people who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and on what to do if exposed to someone with COVID-19. This is consistent with the existing guidance for people who are up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.

• Recommending that instead of quarantining if you were exposed to COVID-19, you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.

• Reiterating that regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate yourself from others when you have COVID-19.
  • You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results.
    • If your results are positive, follow CDC’s full isolation recommendations.
    • If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.

• Recommending that if you test positive for COVID-19, you stay home for at least 5 days and isolate yourself from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.
  • If after 5 days, you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
  • Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
  • You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.

• Recommending that if you had a moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19 or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.

• Recommending that if you had a severe illness or have a weakened immune system, consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you. If you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance.

• Clarifying that after you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.

• Recommending screening testing of asymptomatic people without known exposures will no longer be recommended in most community settings.

• Emphasizing that physical distance is just one component of how to protect yourself and others. It is important to consider the risk in a particular setting, including local COVID-19 Community Levels and the important role of ventilation, when assessing the need to maintain physical distance.