COVID-19 Information for Medical Professionals

UPDATES:

• *Updated CDPH COVID-19 Guidelines as of January 09, 2024.*

• *NEW UPDATE AS OF March 01, 2024: Adults 65 years or older should receive one additional dose of 2023-2024 vaccine at least 4 months following their last dose.**

COVID-19 Testing Guidance

• Updated available resources for testing and treatment.   
• Updated testing recommendations for asymptomatic exposed people. 
• Updated testing recommendations for post exposure recommendations. 

COVID-19 Isolation Guidance (ca.gov) 

• COVID-19 isolation recommendations move away from five days of isolation and instead focus on clinical symptoms to determine when to end isolation.
• The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) now recommends the following actions to align with common practice of other respiratory viruses. These actions outline what to do when an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and how to protect others, including the most vulnerable in the community. 
• Isolation Q&A (ca.gov)
• COVID-19 Tests Questions & Answers: Access to Testing
• Health Care And Testing
• Find All Guidance (ca.gov)

Additional Healthcare Personnel Resources  

•  COVID-19 Treatment Resources for Healthcare Providers
• Infection Prevention
• Donning/Doffing PPE
• Provider Fact Sheets for Covid vaccines
• COVID-19 Vaccine and Therapeutics FAQs
• CDPH: Get the Facts on COVID-19 Vaccines

Provider Vaccine Toolkits

• CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Toolkit
• Checklist: Vaccine communication and confidence
• Conversation starter: Vaccine confidence
• Fact sheet: How to build healthcare personnel's confidence in the COVID vaccine
• Flyer: Vaccines are quick, safe and easy to get
• Flyer: Military personnel
• Video: Interview with staff from Hill Country Health and Wellness

Important information for Influenza & SARS-CoV-2 testing.

• *Please note that starting 4/1/2022 Shasta County Public Health Laboratory (SCPHL) will be testing all specimens submitted for either Flu or COVID-19 will be tested for BOTH utilizing a multiplex assay.*
• Specimens for testing MUST be received in the Lab within 72 hours from collection, or frozen and must remain frozen through storage AND transportation to the lab.
• Please plan accordingly and call the Lab at (530) 225-5072 for questions regarding specimen storage.

Local Contact Information for Reporting and Testing COVID-19

Shasta County Public Health Lab web portal application: Please complete and return this form by email to HHSAPHLab@shastacounty.gov or by fax to (530) 225-5061.

Report any suspected Patient Under Investigation (PUI) immediately to Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health Branch:

• (530) 225-5591 during business hours
• (530) 339-9940 after hours, weekends and holidays
• Confidential Morbidity Report for COVID-19

Letter to Laboratories Regarding SARS-CoV-2, Influenza Virus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Reporting​ ​– September 2023​ (PDF)

Updated March 14, 2024