Frequently
Asked Questions

Here at Primary Care at Home, inc., our entire staff is vaccinated and ready to provide you with the care that you need.

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COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people can become severely ill. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (including HIV) are more prone to severe illness.

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That being said, there are a number of ways to protect yourself to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.

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Get vaccinated ● Wear a mask and/or face shield ● Maintain social distancing  ●

Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces ● Cover coughs and sneezes ●

Wash your hands regularly ● Monitor your health daily (to check for symptoms)

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People living with HIV (PLWH), should continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle (e.g. eat a healthy diet, sleep at least 8 hours a night, reduce stress as much as possible, and take your medicine as prescribed).

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Common symptoms

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

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Seek emergency medical attention if you or someone else display the following symptoms: trouble breathing; persistent pain or pressure in the chest; new confusion; inability to wake or stay awake; or pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone.

 

What to do if you are sick or displaying symptoms:

• Stay home except to get medical care.

  • Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

  • Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.

  • Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs.

  • Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.

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• Separate yourself from other people.

  • As much as possible, stay in a specific room and away from other people and pets in your home. If possible, you should use a separate bathroom. If you need to be around other people or animals in or outside of the home, wear a mask.

  • Tell your close contacts that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.

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• Get Tested.

  • If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested. While waiting for test results, stay away from others, including staying apart from those living in your household.

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• Clean "high-touch" surfaces and avoid sharing personal household items.

  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and throw it away immediately after use.​

  • Wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

  • Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home. Wash these items thoroughly after each use.

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom; wear disposable gloves. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but you should clean your bedroom and bathroom, if possible.

  • If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and disposable gloves prior to cleaning. They should wait as long as possible after the person who is sick has used the bathroom before coming in to clean and use the bathroom.

  • High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.

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Quarantine v. Isolation

You quarantine when you might have been exposed to the virus. Here's what to do if you've been in close contact with someone who has the virus:

• Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.

• Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.

• If possible, stay away from people you live with, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

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You isolate when you have been infected with the virus, even if you don’t have symptoms. Here's what to do under isolation:

• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.

• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.

• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.

• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.

• Wear a mask when around other people if able.

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Vaccines

What different vaccines are available?

• Pfizer-BioNTech (2 shots given 3 weeks apart)

• Moderna (2 shots given 4 weeks apart)

• Johnson & Johnson's Janssen (1 shot)

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For more specific information, please turn to the CDC's fact sheet on COVID-19 vaccines.

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Are they safe? 

​COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and most importantly, they reduce your risk of severe illness (and death). Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history. We, as healthcare providers urge you to het the vaccine as soon as possible.

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There is no evidence that suggests that COVID-19 vaccines interfere with HIV medicine (aniretroviral therapy or ART) or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

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What are possible side effects?

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects.

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Some common side effects you may experience include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling on the arm where you got shot

• Tiredness

• Headache

• Muscle pain

• Chills

• Fever

• Nausea

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Exercising the arm where you got shot (e.g. "windmill" exercises) can relieve or prevent soreness. To reduce discomfort from fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.

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Call your doctor if the redness or tenderness where you got the shot worsens after 24 hours and/or if your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days.

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Booster Shots

In the state of California, booster shots are available for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine recipients who:

• Received their second dose at least six months ago, and

• Are age 18 or older

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Recipients Johnson & Johnson's Janssen are eligible if they:

• Received their first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago, and

• Are 18 or older

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If you have advanced or untreated HIV, CDC recommends that you receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after your second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your health care provider to determine if getting an additional dose is right for you. If you received Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine, you do not need an additional dose at this time.

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Monoclonal Treatment

With the FDA's approval, Primary Care at Home, inc. is authorized to use monoclonal antibodies to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults with positive test results who are at high risk for progressing to sever COVID-19. When administered, monoclonal treatment is shown to reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization or emergency room visits.

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Monoclonal antibody treatment (specifically, casirivimab and imdevimab) must be administered together by intravenous (IV) infusion.