Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The FAQ about COVID-19 variants is based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For the most up-to-date information, check the CDC’s COVID-19 webpage.  

Viruses change through mutation often. 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 go away. Other times, they last for longer periods of time.

COVID-19 has some variants that allow it to spread more easily. Experts monitor the spread of all COVID-19 variants. To learn more about the COVID-19 variants being tracked, visit the CDC’s About Variants of the Virus that Causes COVID-19 webpage.

COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that have the virus in them. These droplets and particles can be breathed in by other people or land in their eyes, nose or mouth. They can also land on surfaces and be spread through touch.

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

More facts about COVID-19 can be found at:
CDC website: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.  

Orange County Health Care Agency website:
https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/.  

If you are a CalOptima Health member, you can schedule a vaccination by:

Visit the CDC for more details about the benefits.  

The COVID-19 vaccine can lower your risk of getting COVID-19 and is a safe way to build protection.

Orange County Health Care Agency for Local COVID-19 Vaccine Information  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for National COVID-19 Vaccine Information

The 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.  

Take these next steps if you are sick or test positive.

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

Tell 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.

Flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses that spread easily, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is an infection caused by the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Flu is an infection caused by the flu virus (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.

Learn more about how flu and COVID-19 compare.  

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

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

You should be seen by your doctor or in urgent care within 24 hours of a positive COVID-19 test result or symptoms. Don’t delay. If treatment is needed, it must be started within the first few days of symptoms to be effective.

If you need help finding an urgent care location, contact our Customer Service department or use the online search links below for your plan.

Find urgent care for members of OneCare (HMO D-SNP), a Medicare Medi-Cal Plan.

Find urgent care for Medi-Cal members.

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 others in your home and community:

For more details, visit If You Are Sick or Caring for Someone from the CDC.

Find out when you can safely end home isolation.  

Take these steps to protect yourself from COVID-19:

Take other actions to protect yourself, as needed:

Get more details from the CDC.  

Wearing a mask can help protect yourself and others:

The CDC offers a guide to masks.  

Orange County residents can find information about COVID-19 testing at https://coronavirus.egovoc.com/covid-19-testing

You can call your PCP or health network to ask for testing, or find a testing site and schedule an appointment online at https://myturn.ca.gov.  

Schedule an appointment by visiting www.othena.com or calling 1-800-564-8448. You may also call your PCP to ask for testing.

CalOptima Health 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:

You should have an appointment with your PCP or an urgent care provider within the first 24 hours of having COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result to quickly find out if you need treatment. Early treatment is known to lower the risk of serious illness and prevent hospitalization. People who are more likely to get very sick include those over 65, the unvaccinated or those with medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cancer and depression.

If you test positive for COVID-19 and are 12 years old or older, free treatment may help you recover faster and avoid serious illness. Contact your PCP or pharmacy, go to a test to treat location, visit California’s Free Virtual COVID-19 Visit webpage or call the CalOptima Health Nurse Advice Line toll-free at 1-844-447-8441 (TTY 1-844-514-3774), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized certain medicines to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick. Visit the CDC for more information about COVID-19 Treatment and Medications

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

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

CalOptima Health Customer Service is ready to respond to your needs. Please call us at these toll-free phone numbers: