News and Updates on Coronavirus, COVID-19

A symptoms checklist and how to proceed if you have one or more of the symptoms

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:

  • 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

Call your doctor’s office for a telehealth appointment to be evaluated. Visit Coronavirus Portal on Providence.org for additional news and information.

Where to go if it’s afterhours and the symptoms require being seen

  • Call our office even though we are closed and select the prompt to reach the on call physician. They will provide direction on next steps.
  • If your symptoms are life-threatening, proceed to the nearest ER

How to get afterhours advice on the phone

  • Call our office even though we are closed and select the Nurse Advice Line option. Qualified nurses will attend to your call and answer your question asking you proceed to the nearest ER if indicated.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: I had a fever and dry cough and loss of smell for 5 days but did not get tested with a nasopharyngeal swab. The symptoms resolved 10 days ago and I feel fine, and the serology test is negative.

A: A negative serology test does not exclude a prior COVID-19 infection. It takes time for an immune response to develop after a COVID-19 infection. A repeat serology in 1-2 weeks may be helpful.

Q: My serology was positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2. Does this mean I am negative for the virus and protected from re-infection?

A: A positive serology test cannot distinguish between a current or past COVID infection. It is important for you to have a nasopharyngeal swab to evaluate for the possibility of an active COVID infection. At this time, it is not known if an IgG response is protective against reinfection with COVID-19. More studies are needed.

Disclaimers

From the CDC (Centers for Disease Control):

  • Serologic test results have limitations that make them less than ideal tools for diagnosing people who are sick.
  • It typically takes one to two weeks after someone becomes sick with COVID-19 for their body to make antibodies; some people may take longer to develop antibodies.
  • Depending on when someone was infected and the timing of the test, the test may not find antibodies in someone with a current COVID-19 infection.

Additional Resources:

  1. https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Public-Health/
    • Click on Coronavirus Information
    • Click on Resources for You or Get Tested for testing information