News

Testing Remains Key to Slowing the Spread; Free At-Home Tests Readily Available Across the County

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While COVID-19 case rates are declining and LA County entered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) medium community level, knowing your health status remains key to slowing the spread in schools, workplaces, and homes.

Residents should get tested when:  they have been exposed, have symptoms, before and after gatherings, and when they travel. Residents who test positive, even with an at-home test, need to isolate to avoid infecting others. Residents who test negative but have symptoms should remain home and test again in 24-48 hours to be sure they aren’t infected.

If a test is still negative, but a person remains ill, they may have another virus/illness. Anyone with symptoms should remain home until they are fever free, and symptoms are resolving. Individuals should call their provider if they have concerns about their illness. If an individual does not have a provider, they can call 2-1-1 to get connected to care.

Free over-the-counter (OTC) tests can be picked up at Department of Public Health vaccination sites and at a variety of locations and partners. Currently, free OTC tests are being distributed at the seven Public Health PODs.

There are many FDA-approved rapid OTC tests that can be used for self-testing at home, at a business, or at other community settings. These OTC antigen tests provide results in a few minutes, as opposed to laboratory-based PCR tests that may take several days to process.

Additionally, at-home tests can be ordered at no charge from the federal government at www.covidtests.gov. Residents who have health insurance can receive eight free at-home tests each month for each insured member in their household.

If you purchase an OTC test from a pharmacy, store, or online retailer and are charged for your test, keep your receipt, and submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement.

Individuals with any questions should talk with their health care provider to make sure they understand their viral test results and any next steps. Those without easy access to a health care provider who have questions about their test result and what to do next, can call the Public Health COVID-19 information line at 1-833-540-0473, seven days a week, 8:00 am to 8:30 pm. 

Back-to-School Safety Tips Encouraged as COVID-19 Transmission Remains High

Have a child in a TK-12 school in LA County? Visit us online for the current guidelines and recommendations to keep staff, students, and families safe throughout the year. Learn more at ph.lacounty.gov/EducationToolkitTK12.

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Novavax Vaccine Now Available at Public Health Vaccination Pods in LA County

The COVID-19 Novavax vaccine is now available for residents 18+ at public health vaccination pods countywide. Unlike Pfizer & Moderna, Novavax does not use mRNA technology & was found to be 90% effective against mild, moderate, & severe disease in clinical trials. Novavax is administered in two-doses with the 2nd dose given three weeks after the 1st. Boosters are currently not recommended.

Find a pod near you at ph.lacounty.gov/vaccinepods.

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Additional Resources

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has developed a wide array of documents, guidance documents, and resources for the workers, businesses, partners, and the general public on a variety of topics related to COVID-19, including:

It is recommended you follow @lapublichealth on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram the latest updates about Los Angeles County.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

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