Coronavirus Disease 2019

FAQs about COVID-19 variants will be updated when scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide more information. Check this page often for updates.

Viruses constantly change through mutation. When a virus has one or more mutations it is called a variant. New variants are expected to occur and become more diverse. Sometimes new variants show up and disappear. Other times, they persist.

The COVID-19 virus has some variants that allow it to spread more easily. Scientists are monitoring multiple variants of the COVID-19 virus that have spread to the U.S., during the global pandemic.

To learn more about the COVID-19 variants being monitored, visit the CDC’s About Variants of the Virus that Causes COVID-19 webpage.

The CDC and scientists have data which suggests that current authorized COVID-19 vaccines provide protection against many COVID-19 variants of concern in the U.S.

Take these steps to protect yourself from COVID-19 and its variants:

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a recently discovered coronavirus. It is a new strain of respiratory coronavirus that has not been found in humans before. COVID-19 was first found in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic that has spread widely in the United States and many countries around the world.

COVID-19 is spread in 3 main ways:

Maintaining good social distance — about 6 feet — is very important in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The CDC has more details on how COVID-19 spreads.

More facts can be found at:
CDC website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
Orange County Health Care Agency website: www.occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/

Local Information Orange County Health Care Agency webpage with local details

National Resources CDC website for both the public and health care providers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says COVID-19 symptoms can range from mild to severe. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

Symptoms may appear between 2–14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms, may have COVID-19:

This list does not include all possible symptoms. The CDC will continue to update its list as it learns more about COVID-19. Check the CDC’s website for the full list of COVID-19 symptoms.  

Please talk with your primary care provider (PCP) for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Use the CDC’s “ Coronavirus Self Checker. ” 

Apple partnered with the CDC to make a COVID-19 Screening Tool.  

If you have any of these emergency warning signs for COVID-19, call 911 for emergency medical care immediately:

Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have had COVID-19.

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please call your primary care provider (PCP) for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

If you are sick, take steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2). The flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. Flu and COVID-19 share many characteristics, but there are some key differences between them.

While more is learned every day, there is still a lot that is unknown about COVID-19 and the virus that causes it. Review the comparison of flu and COVID-19, given the best available information to date.

To learn more about flu, visit Influenza (Flu).  

To learn more about COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19).  

If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, follow the steps below to care for yourself and to help protect other people in your home and community.

For more details, visit What to Do If You Are Sick from the CDC.

Do these things to protect yourself and others:

Get more details from the CDC.  

The CDC recommends that you wear cloth face coverings — or face masks — in public settings where social distancing is hard to do, such as grocery stores or pharmacies. Face masks and face coverings help people who may have the virus and do not know it from spreading it to others. The CDC offers a guide to masks.  

Due to social distancing guidelines, doctors may have limited hours or limited appointments. We encourage you to ask your primary care provider (PCP) if they offer phone or telehealth appointments.

COVID-19 testing may be restricted at times to high-priority groups, as defined by the California Department of Public Health or Orange County Public Health.

You need to follow these steps, in the order below. Walk-ins will not be accepted.

The Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) has more details and a list of the Orange County COVID-19 Testing Network of clinics. If you do not have a PCP or health network, please call CalOptima at the numbers below to choose a PCP and a health network.

The OCHCA has these COVID-19 testing options for residents:

CalOptima has waived all costs for our members to get screened, tested and receive medically necessary treatment for COVID-19. If you are asked to pay, please call us at:

On October 22, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) as the first treatment for COVID-19. It can be used to treat patients 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds. Veklury can only be used in a hospital or acute care such as inpatient hospital care.

If you need health advice, first call your doctor or your health network. If you cannot reach your doctor, you can talk to a nurse by phone to answer your COVID-19 questions.

Call the CalOptima Nurse Advice Phone Line toll-free at 1-844-447-8441 to help you. TTY users can call toll-free at 1-844-514-3774. The Nurse Advice Phone Line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to CalOptima members.

If you are sick, please call your doctor to see if they offer telehealth visits by phone, video app, text or email. Instead of going to your doctor’s office, a telehealth visit allows you to talk with your doctor by phone or audio and video over the internet. Your doctor can use apps such as Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video or Skype.

At CalOptima we understand that this may be a difficult time for you and your family. We are here to help you. For information on depression or to access mental health services, call the CalOptima Behavioral Health line at 1-855-877-3885 (TTY 711). It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mental health resources are also available online from Be Well OC.

Yes! Social distancing is one of the ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many of us are feeling stress, anxiety and frustration. Feelings of depression, boredom and loneliness can also happen. However, social distancing does not mean social isolation from our family, friends and others.

During social distancing, use these tips to socially interact:

At CalOptima, we understand that this may be a difficult time for you and your family. If you have questions about mental health services, call the CalOptima Behavioral Health line at 1-855-877-3885 (TTY 711) to talk to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We are here to help you.

Yes! Please call your mental health provider to see if they offer telehealth visits by phone, video app, text or email. Instead of going to your doctor’s office, a telehealth visit allows you to talk with your doctor by phone or audio and video over the internet. Your doctor can use apps such as Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video or Skype.

We are here to help you. If you do not have a mental health provider, call the CalOptima Behavioral Health line at 1-855-877-3885 (TTY 711). It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Mental health resources are also available online from Be Well OC.

CalOptima Customer Service remains ready to respond to your needs. Please call us from the safety of your home at these toll-free phone numbers:

We are continuing to serve our members through our Customer Service phone numbers, as we adhere to guidelines to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Our buildings are closed to visitors.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Orange County Health Care Agency and CalOptima