REGIONAL MESSAGE ON COVID-19 THREAT ALERT SOUTHBAY CITIES
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER
KEY MESSAGES
July 11, 2020
WHAT IS CONSIDERED “EXPOSURE” TO COVID-19
There has been some confusion around what it means to have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. The guidance provided by the Department of Public Health defines exposure as:
As an individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes; or
An individual with unprotected contact with an infected person's body fluids (i.e., being coughed or sneezing on); or
An individual who shared utensils or saliva with an infected person; or
An individual who provided care for an infected person without wearing appropriate protective equipment
So, what if you hear you were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19? If this is your predicament, you'll want to learn as much as you can! The infected person you were in contact with was infectious 48 hours before their symptoms began, and remain contagious for a minimum of 2 weeks. This reality makes LA County's DPH Home Quarantine Instructions for Close Contacts to COVID-19 more critical than ever. You'll want to follow our quarantine guidance to avoid spreading the disease.
If you've tested positive and have no symptoms (are asymptomatic), you are considered infectious from 48 hours before your test was taken, until a minimum of 10 days after your test. You'll need to follow our DPH Home Isolation Instructions for People with COVID-19.
TESTING CAPACITY AND CRITERIA
If you have tried to book an appointment and haven’t been able to get one, you are likely not alone. While testing capacity at community-based testing sites are not experiencing any supply chain issues, daily capacity on tests have been limited due to the increased demand for tests. As a reminder, the criteria for booking an appointment at a testing site are as follows:
LA County's Criteria for Testing:
Symptoms: if you have symptoms, you CAN sign up for a test, but it doesn't mean you need to. You need to talk to your provider first.
High-risk congregant settings: testing is critical in environments where transmissions can spread rapidly.
Known exposure: know your exposure, so that contacts can be traced if you are positive for COVID-19. This type of testing is key for determining infection & for public health purposes.
And whether or not you get tested for COVID-19, remember:
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you need to isolate. Keep your physician informed on your symptoms and, especially if you are elderly or have an underlying health condition, seek medical care if your symptoms worsen. If you don’t have a physician, call 211 to get connected to one. And if you are having trouble breathing or have other severe symptoms, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
If you were exposed to someone with a known infection, you need to quarantine for the full 14 days. A COVID-19 test should never be used as a way to end quarantine early. It will never do that.
The health officer orders are there to keep you and others safe while still allowing society to reopen. A negative test cannot reassure you that you haven't been exposed and won't turn positive tomorrow. Don't use a negative test as a "free pass" that allows others outside of your household to interact with you safely. It is not safe.
UPDATED HEALTH OFFICER ORDER
The updated Health Officer Order (dated July 8, 2020) requires private insurance companies to cover COVID-19 testing as part of the overall containment plan. If you suspect you may have COVID-19, please contact your primary healthcare provide to schedule a test. This goes into effect July 31, 2020. Community-based testing sites are limited in capacity. To read the updated order, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/HOO/HOO_DiagnosticTesting_HealthcareFacilities.pdf.
To learn more about the latest health guidance, testing information, or resources for making it through this difficult time, visit covid19.lacounty.gov.
For information on confirmed cases and updated numbers by city, please visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm.
For more information on how you can protect yourself, please visit:
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
* On Friday March 13, 2020, the South Bay cities activated a Joint Information Center to help coordinate essential messaging to the community around the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working in coordination with Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, the Area-G Disaster Management Coordinator, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACoDPH) to provide accurate information to our communities. Due to HIPPA laws, patient names, locations, or any personally identifying information known as PII related to possible exposure or confirmation of the COVID-19 virus cannot be disclosed. As such, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will provide updates on confirmed cases in cities.
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