FAQ | COVID-19: Keeping Los Angeles Safe

About COVID-19

What should I do if I've been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19?

If you have been in close contact with someone who is positive or presumed positive, you must self-quarantine.

Even if you feel well now, it is possible that you are also infected. It can take as little as 2 and as many as14 days to show symptoms, which is why you need to stay home and separate yourself from others in your home as much as possible. The L.A. County Department of Public Health website has detailed information on home quarantine in a dozen languages here. You can also learn more about COVID-19 symptoms and what to do if you’re exposed here. (See "Home Quarantine")

L.A. County Public Health contact tracing teams are working to identify people who may have been exposed to COVID-19, so we can help contain the spread of the virus. If you get a call from a contact tracer, depending upon your provider, it should show up on your phone as "L.A. Public Health." Please answer the call. Your information is confidential and you will not be asked about your immigration status. If you haven't received a call, you can reach them at 1-833-540-0473 seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 8:30 p.m, seven days a week.

What are the primary symptoms of COVID-19?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fever or chills
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Congestion or runny nose
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

What should I do if I’m showing symptoms of COVID-19 or a family member is?

If you or a family member are experiencing severe symptoms, please self-quarantine immediately and call your doctor to arrange for a test and check up. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911.

What should I do if I am diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus?

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, or been told by a clinician that you are presumed to be positive, you are required to isolate yourself at home. You should also immediately tell anyone you have been in contact with that you are positive so that they can immediately quarantine and get a test to find out if they are positive.

The L.A. County Department of Public Health website has detailed information on home isolation here.

L.A. County Public Health contact tracing teams are working to identify cases of COVID-19 and help contain the spread of the virus. If you get a call from a contact tracer, depending upon your provider, it should show up on your phone as "L.A. Public Health." Please answer the call. If you haven't received a call, you can reach them at 1-833-540-0473 seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 8:30 p.m, seven days a week.

How long must I quarantine if I test positive for COVID-19?

If you had symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 or if a healthcare provider thinks* that you have COVID-19, you must stay home until:

At least 10 days** have passed since your symptoms first started and
You have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) and
Your symptoms have improved

If you tested positive for COVID-19 but never had any symptoms:

You must stay home for 10 days after the test was taken, but
If you develop symptoms, you need to follow the instructions above

*If a healthcare provider initially thought your symptoms were due to COVID-19 but they reassessed your diagnosis and concluded that you are not infected, you can stop isolating once 24 hours have passed since you have been fever-free without using fever-reducing medications. However, if you are under quarantine orders (because you are a close contact to a person with COVID-19) you must stay in quarantine.

**If you have a condition that severely weakens your immune system you might need to stay home for longer than 10 days. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

Visit L.A. County Department of Public Health’s website for more information.

Note: If you recently had COVID-19 (within the past 90 days) and you now have a new positive diagnostic test for COVID-19 but you don’t have symptoms, talk with your doctor to see if you have COVID-19 again.

Please help slow the spread of COVID-19 by answering if you get a call from “LA PublicHealth” or 1-833-641-0305 (see Contact Tracing).

If you tested positive but have not received a call, please call 1-833-540-0473 from 8 AM to 8:30 PM, 7 days a week.

Do I have to cover my face when I leave home and interact with others?

Everyone* needs to wear a mask in certain settings — on public transportation, in businesses or workplaces, when attending large events. For rules on mask-wearing rules and recommendations, click here.

*There are some people who should not wear a mask due to their young age, medical condition, disability, or for other reasons. See Who should not wear a mask and Special considerations for persons with communication difficulties or certain disabilities.

For more information, visit the L.A. County Department of Public Health mask webpage ph.lacounty.gov/masks.

COVID-19 Vaccine

How do vaccines work? Are they effective?

Vaccines work by preparing the body’s immune system to recognize and fight off germs. They reduce your risk of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds and:

Detects the invading germ, such as a virus or bacteria.
Makes antibodies. Antibodies are proteins produced naturally by the immune system to fight disease.
Remembers the disease and how to fight it. If you are exposed to the germ after getting the vaccine, your immune system can quickly destroy it before you become sick.

Our immune systems are designed to remember. After we get one or more doses of a vaccine, we are protected against the disease for a period of time. This is what makes vaccines so effective. Instead of treating a disease after it happens, vaccines can prevent us from getting sick in the first place or reduce the severity and consequences of the disease if we do get sick.

Read more about the vaccine from L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Can you get COVID-19 from a vaccine?

No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines being developed in the United States have the virus that causes COVID-19 in them. Sometimes people get a fever or feel tired for a day or so after getting a vaccine. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity. You can learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work at the CDC website. It usually takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. If a person got infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after they got a shot, they could still get COVID-19. This is because the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.

Read more about the vaccine from L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Why do we need a vaccine if we can do other things, like social distance and wear masks?

We need to do as much as we can to stop the virus. Vaccines boost your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like masks and social distancing, help lower your chance of being exposed to or spreading the virus. Together, these tools offer the best protection against COVID-19 until the United States is able to reach herd immunity, which means enough people have the vaccine to significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Read more about the vaccine from L.A. County Department of Public Health.

Can parents, family members, and/or caretakers of children with certain disabilities or conditions get vaccinated?

As of February 4, caretakers of people with disabilities or people with certain conditions (including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, and specialized health care needs, including dependence upon ventilators, oxygen, and other technology) are eligible to be vaccinated as part of Phase 1A of vaccine distribution. Eligible individuals must schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine and bring one of the sets of documentation listed below. Please note: If you do not have documentation, your appointment will not be honored and you will be asked to return with documentation at a later date.

Healthcare worker or student badge with photo OR
Professional license AND a photo ID OR
Payment stub from a healthcare provider with your name AND a photo ID
Letter from a California Regional Center noting healthcare worker status AND a photo ID.
1. Letter must include your name and an attestation that the person you care for has a qualifying intellectual or developmental disability as per the Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
2. Note: Medical documentation of the person with the qualifying condition will not be accepted.

Vaccines are distributed by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment for a vaccine, please visit VaccinateLACounty.com.

Individuals who do not have internet access or who have a disability can call 1-833-540-0473 between 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. for assistance making an appointment.

Note: Appointment availability is based upon supply availability. If no appointments are available, please visit the website at a later time.

How do I make an appointment?

All City sites are offering the vaccine without an appointment though you can still plan ahead and pre-register for a vaccine by visiting the City of L.A. Vaccination Portal.

COVID-19 Testing

Am I eligible for testing?: All residents of L.A. County are eligible. At City test centers, testing is available to anyone, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Other sites may have different eligibility rules.
Is the test free? Why am I being asked for my health insurance information?: The test is free to you, whether or not you have insurance. If you have insurance, our lab will bill your insurance carrier for the cost of the test. By law, the insurance company may not charge you any co-pay, deductible, or out of pocket expense.
When can I be tested?: Testing is by appointment only and is subject to availability. People with symptoms and front line workers are prioritized to receive same day or next day appointments.
Am I required to show ID?: Yes. Bring a form of personal identification to your test. This helps ensure that your test results are matched to the right person. Your identity and your test results are protected by federal law and will not be shared with any other agencies for purposes of law enforcement or immigration.
Can I get a test if I don't have insurance?: Yes. Your test is free even if you do not have insurance. You will be asked to provide a photo ID when you register for an appointment. This is required to cover the cost of the test. It will not be used for any other purpose.