Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you to enjoy the holidays safely

• Protect the most vulnerable:
  • 80% of deaths from COVID-19 are in people age 65+
  • Even if you are not in a high-risk group, you may come in contact with someone who is
• Make a healthy choice:
  • Physical health improves with preventive and routine care like vaccinations
  • Physical health worsens with delayed care
• Help your community:
  • The sooner we can wipe out COVID-19, the sooner we can all get “back to normal”
  • More people’s economic situations will improve as more activities are once again considered safe

Yes. Not everyone who gets infected by coronavirus develops a strong enough immune response to protect against reinfection. Also, antibody levels drop over time, leading to the potential for reinfection.

No. You should get fully immunized as soon as possible. Consult with your doctor.

Refer them to reputable sources such as their healthcare providers and public health authorities.

• Individuals who received antibodies should wait for 90 days after treatment

• To avoid possibly exposing healthcare personnel and other people to infection during the vaccination visit, people exposed to COVID-19 should not seek vaccination until their quarantine period ends

The CDC recommends a minimum interval of 14 days between receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and any other immunizations. A shorter period may be used if the benefit outweighs the potential unknown risks of vaccine coadministration, or to avoid barriers or delays to COVID-19 vaccination. Please consult with your provider regarding your particular health situation.

• Your provider or department of health will have the best, most up-to-date information

• There will be no cost to our members to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. That’s because Bright HealthCare will cover the cost of the administration of the vaccine, and the vaccine itself is being provided for free to providers until further notice. Note: If other services are provided during the office visit when you are vaccinated, you may be responsible for some or all of the cost of those services
• Use a Bright HealthCare participating provider to minimize out-of-pocket costs and avoid balance billing (the difference between the amount billed and the allowed amount) from non-participating providers

The CDC now recommends that children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine. Immunizing children helps protect them against COVID-19 and reduces transmission of the virus in the community. Vaccinating children reduces disruptions to their in-person learning and other activities. Trials of other vaccines in young children are underway, and future vaccinations may include them.

• Vaccination is not only about protecting yourself but also others. It will take many months to vaccinate enough people to reach a level of “herd immunity” that will slow then end the pandemic. People around you may have medical conditions that will prevent them from getting the vaccine. For everyone’s safety, you need the additional protection offered by masks, physical distancing, good ventilation, and frequent hand washing

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant. Pregnant women who get COVID-19 are at greater risk for:

• severe illness requiring hospitalization and intensive care
• pregnancy complications such as preterm birth

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility problems in women or men. Getting vaccinated may help pregnant women protect their babies from COVID-19 by sharing antibodies that travel through the placenta.

If you are pregnant, you might want to have a conversation with your provider about COVID-19 vaccination. While such a conversation might be helpful, it is not required before vaccination.

No. Most commercial antibody tests are looking for antibodies against a different protein than the one in the vaccines. This will lead to false-negative results. The CDC also doesn’t recommend antibody (or diagnostic) testing before vaccination.

You are considered fully vaccinated:

• Two weeks after your second dose in a 2-dose series (for example, the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines)

Or

• Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as the Johnson & Johnson (also known as J&J or Janssen) vaccine

You may choose which COVID-19 vaccine you receive as a booster shot. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

Yes because vaccination significantly reduces the chances severe disease that results in hospitalization and death.

You may not be as well-protected as healthy individuals who are fully vaccinated. People may have lower immunity if they are older, on dialysis, or on certain medications for cancer, autoimmune conditions or other issues. You may need to continue to follow the recommended precautions for unvaccinated people to get the most protection. Talk to your doctor to get advice about your circumstances.

For additional information, visit this CDC webpage:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

No. You should follow the precautions for unvaccinated people.

For additional information, visit this CDC webpage:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Follow local public health guidance. CDC has recommended that vaccinated individuals wear masks indoors in areas where transmission of the virus is substantial or high. With the rapid spread of Delta, it’s recommended to proactively use masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings to minimize the chances of increasing transmission to a significant degree.

No. You don’t need to get tested before or after travel, or to self-quarantine after US travel.

Pay close attention to

the situation at your international destination

before traveling outside the United States. For more details on international travel, click here:

travel

Fully vaccinated people should get tested 5–7 days after being exposed to COVID-19, even if they don’t have symptoms. They should wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until they receive a negative test result. They do not need to quarantine after contact with someone who has COVID-19 unless they have symptoms or a positive test result.

• Follow all guidance at work and at the businesses you visit.

• When you

  travel

  , you will still be required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.

• Watch out for

  symptoms of COVID-19

  , especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have, you should get

  tested

  and self-quarantine.

First, make sure you are getting your facts from a trusted source. The CDC and your local health authorities are the best places to go for the most accurate, up-to-date information. State governments may have travel restrictions in place, so please be aware of these and how it may affect your travel plans. For up-to-date information and travel guidance, the CDC has state and local health department information

here

. Here are some resources we think you’ll find valuable:

CDC Resources

COVID-19 Page

• FAQs

• Current travel info

• Latest updates

State or city hotline number

Call 411 or check online to find out if your state or city department of health has an information hotline number.

Visit your local hospital’s website.

Always call your doctor before going to the doctor’s office. Call an urgent care or hospital if you can’t reach your doctor.

Because immunity decreases over time and not everyone gets the same level of immunity to start with.

Mask use recommendations apply to settings outside of the household. Follow local public health guidance. You may choose to mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they or someone in their household is immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in their household is unvaccinated.

Below summarizes advice from the CDC regarding when you should isolate yourself:

• when exposed to someone who has COVID-19
• when exposed to someone who has a positive diagnostic (not antibody)* test, but no symptoms
• when you have COVID-19
• if you’ve had a positive diagnostic (not antibody)* test, but no symptoms

*A diagnostic test finds the virus itself in someone who is carrying it—especially if that person has COVID-19 symptoms. Antibody tests are not diagnostic.

IMPORTANT: See additional advice below.

• I had close contact with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test (with or without symptoms):
  • Follow your local quarantine guidelines. The CDC recommends staying home for 14 days after the last exposure, except to get medical care
• I have a positive test but no symptoms:
  • Self-quarantine and take precautions for 10 days after the date of the first positive diagnostic test
  • Take your temperature twice a day and watch for COVID-19 symptoms
• I have mild to moderate COVID-19:
  • Self-quarantine and take precautions for 10 days after your first symptoms, including non-respiratory ones, AND
  • Wait until you’ve had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications)
  • Your other symptoms should also have improved before you leave quarantine
• I have severe COVID-19:
  • Persons with severe COVID-19 are usually hospitalized and may be still in the hospital when the isolation period ends. If you return home before that period ends, follow the above isolation advice for mild to moderate COVID-19
  • A small number of persons with severe illness may carry the virus for longer than 10 days. Doctors (in consultation with infection experts) may decide to continue isolation and precautions for up to 20 days after your first symptoms, including non-respiratory ones

If you need to isolate:

• Stay home except to get medical care. If possible, stay in a specific room away from others in your home
• Avoid contact with others, especially people at high risk for COVID-19
• If you have to interact with people, stay at least 6 feet away from others AND wear a face covering/mask at all times. The virus can travel more than six feet, especially in winter’s drier indoor air. It can also hang in indoor air for many hours, especially if no fresh air is circulated

Local health authorities usually follow the same guidance and may occasionally have different requirements. Talk to your doctor or a local health authority.

Always let your doctor know about your circumstances, especially if you are in a high-risk group.

If you were exposed and develop symptoms suspicious of COVID-19 consult with your doctor. If you have even mild symptoms, call ahead before going to the doctor’s office, urgent care or the emergency room. This way you know before arriving where to go and what to do when you get there.

IMPORTANT: If you have a severe immune system condition, talk to your doctor. You may need to stay home longer than the period suggested below. A negative diagnostic test may be used to determine the end of isolation for people with severe immune conditions. This would be done in consultation with an infectious disease specialist. Note: A negative diagnostic test is actually two negative results of tests done at least 24 hours apart.

The virus is thought to be spread mainly from person to person through close contact (about 6 feet or less) for about 15 minutes in a 24-hour period. The most likely way to get sick is to come into contact with the respiratory droplets from an infected person that they produce when they talk, sneeze, or cough. COVID-19 is also present in their stools.

However, it’s possible to get infected through handshakes or contact with infected surfaces or objects. Most common surfaces include counters, tabletops, doorknobs, toilets, phones, keyboards, keys, light switches, etc.

COVID-19 can feel a lot like a cold or the flu. In fact, the Coronavirus is a class of viruses best known for causing the common cold. The main symptoms are:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Less-common symptoms include loss of sense of smell, sore throat, runny nose, abdominal complaints, and headache. Other less-frequent symptoms may also occur.

As with other infectious conditions, these prevention basics are your best defense:

• Wear a face mask outside of your home, especially around anyone not in your immediate household
• Avoid activities or events with large groups of people
• Wash your hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds (sing Happy Birthday twice)
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • Before eating
  • After going to the bathroom
  • Before touching your face
  • Any time your hands are dirty
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content when soap and water are not available
• Avoid touching mouth, eyes, and nose with unwashed hands
• Avoid contact with sick people
• Clean and sanitize objects and surfaces you frequently touch, using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes
• Stay home if you feel sick
• At home, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• At home, cough and sneeze into your elbow if you don’t have a tissue on hand, then wash your clothes as soon as possible

The virus spreads mainly from person to person through close contact (about 6 feet or less) for about 15 minutes in a 24-hour period. The virus can travel more than six feet, especially in winter’s drier indoor air. It can also hang in indoor air for many hours, especially if no fresh air is circulated. Open windows to circulate the air whenever possible. The most likely way to get sick is to come into contact with the respiratory droplets from an infected person that they produce when they talk, sneeze, or cough. COVID-19 is also present in their stools.

However, it’s possible to get infected through handshakes or contact with infected surfaces or objects. Most common surfaces include counters, tabletops, doorknobs, toilets, phones, keyboards, keys, light switches, etc.

It is highly recommended to use cloth face coverings -- whether you have symptoms or not -- to help prevent the spread of infection. In many communities, facemasks are required to be worn in public. The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders. Face coverings do not replace the need for social distancing. Homemade masks should be thick enough to prevent blowing out a candle or seeing light through it. For example, fleece gaiters are too thin to prevent viral particles from passing through them.

We will do our best to keep you up to date as more information becomes available.

• Availability: The amount of the vaccine available—and which brand of vaccine will be distributed—will vary by community. Each state will have different guidelines that determine who will have access to the vaccination first. In general, emergency responders, healthcare workers and the elderly will be first to receive the vaccine. Please reach out to your local health department, which can be found

  here

  , and your provider or pharmacy to determine when you will be eligible to receive the vaccine
• Dosing: Some vaccine brands will require two doses and others may require one. You should return to the same provider or pharmacy for any remaining doses whenever possible. You will receive a vaccination card from the vaccination site that will tell you when to return for a second dose
• Effectiveness: Both currently-approved vaccinations are shown to be 94-95% effective
• Length of effectiveness: Scientists do not know how long the immunity following a vaccination will last and are constantly collecting information. It is currently thought to last for at least two to three months, based on the smaller number of infections among individuals who received the vaccine during trials
• Safety and side effects: The COVID-19 vaccines were authorized because they were found to be both effective and safe. Like other injections, some swelling, redness and pain may occur at the site of vaccination. Some individuals may experience fever, headache or fatigue. Most reactions are mild to moderate, and typically resolve themselves within three days. Acetaminophen (store brand or Tylenol) is generally preferred for treating these symptoms

Scientists will continue to look for any rare side effects in the months after immunization. You can help, too, by downloading the V-safe app to tell the CDC if you have side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. Find information about the app

here

.

If you have a specific health condition and are concerned about the safety of the vaccination, be sure to consult with your provider.

• Allergy information: Those who have had a severe allergic reaction* to other injections should consult their doctor. People who have had allergic reactions (including severe allergic reactions) not related to vaccines, injectable treatments, or oral medications (for example, allergies to food, pets, venom, environmental irritants, latex, etc.) do not need to use additional caution when getting the COVID-19 vaccine
  • If someone has a severe allergic reaction to their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, additional shots are not advised
  • *Severe allergic reactions are those which require emergency treatment, like hospitalization or epinephrine injection. Mild allergic reactions to a vaccine or injectable therapy are not a cause for extra caution when getting the COVID-19 vaccine

Yes. The majority of molecular tests detect the UK variant. The FDA is monitoring new SARS-CoV-2 variants to ensure that authorized tests continue to provide accurate results. Please consult with your provider.

Find Bright HealthCare’s latest news here.

If you’re concerned about your symptoms, call your doctor before going into the office. They are trained to ask the right questions and give you the best advice about any needed precautions or instructions. Be sure to mention:

• Known contact with an infected person
• Symptoms suggestive or consistent with COVID-19
• Recent travel to areas known to have COVID-19

If you can’t reach your doctor, call an urgent care or hospital before visiting. If you’re directed to the emergency room, call them for any special instructions before you leave.

If you go to your doctor for any reason, even if you do not believe you’re at risk for COVID-19, call your doctor before going into the office. They may need to make special arrangements to protect other patients.

Ask your doctor or hospital if they offer virtual or online visits (telehealth) for flu symptom or COVID-19 evaluation and treatment, or click

here

to be connected with Doctor On Demand.

There are diagnostic tests available for patients with symptoms who may have COVID-19 and for individuals who were exposed to someone known to have the coronavirus. A healthcare professional will determine if you should be tested. Your doctor is your best resource, but urgent care centers, hospitals, and emergency rooms have access to the test, too. Drive-through testing is available in many communities. Try to stick with in-network providers. Out-of-network services may come with a bill from the provider.

Antibody testing is not diagnostic, and decisions about isolation and quarantine should not be based on the results. As a caution, we want you to be aware that antibody testing has been used by some to generate revenue for themselves without regard to the test’s limited value.

Testing for purposes such as returning to work or checking antibody levels won’t be covered through your health plan. Free diagnostic testing is available through other community resources and can be found by visiting your state’s department of health website or calling a local COVID-19 hotline.

• If you are concerned about going to the pharmacy, you may be able to refill current prescription(s) early, depending on where you live. You may also be able to have all your medications refilled at the same time. Contact your pharmacy to see if you are able to take advantage of these options
• Additionally, Bright HealthCare offers a mail-order benefit which allows larger supplies—up to 90 days of medication—to be delivered directly to your home. Call the Member Service # on the back of your Member ID Card to learn more

The flu shot is extra-important this season because people are more likely to get very sick or even die if they are infected with the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. The cost of your vaccination is included in your plan. Even if it is past the holiday season, if you haven’t had your shot yet, we urge you to do it soon. Because of the high demand this year, supplies may run low.