COVID-19

COVID-19 Symptoms

COVID-19 symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, muscle or body aches, sore throat, headache, diarrhea, or fatigue.

Individuals with urgent COVID-like symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain should call 911 or seek immediate medical attention.

COVID-19 Testing

Individuals with respiratory illness symptoms/mild COVID-like symptoms should take a home antigen test, if available. If the test is positive, refer to the COVID-19 POSITIVE ANTIGEN (HOME) TEST section below.

If you are concerned about non-urgent respiratory symptoms you can call the Jefferson Healthcare Respiratory Illness Consult Line at 360-344-3094 (Monday-Friday, except for major holidays). If you don’t have a COVID-19 home antigen test kit, you can purchase them at local drugstores or get one free at one of the following Jefferson County Public Health Department sites:

Jefferson County Library & Bookmobile

Jefferson County Public Health Office

Discovery Bay Fire Department

Quilcene Fire Department

Brinnon Fire Department

COVID-19 PCR testing is no longer covered by emergency funding and will now require medical necessity and insurance information, so PCR self-swab test kits are no longer available at the self-swab station at Jefferson Healthcare. If you have questions about COVID-19 PCR testing, you can call the Respiratory Illness Consult Line at 360-344-3094 (Monday-Friday, except for major holidays).

COVID-19 Positive PCR Test

All patients with positive PCR COVID results will receive a call from the COVID Nurse Line. Patients with MyChart access can view results in MyChart as soon as they are released by the lab. Patients without MyChart can indicate that they would like to be notified of negative results by text message (if not, they will receive a phone call). See FAQ below for more information.

COVID-19 Positive Antigen (Home) Test

Consult the WA Department of Health’s COVID Decision Tree for isolation instructions and for quarantine/testing instructions for those in your household or who have been in contact with you and to report a positive result. Contact your work and your child’s school to notify them that you tested positive. If you are >50 years of age or you are >12 years of age and have an immune system or chronic medical conditions and are interested in receiving COVID oral antiviral medication or if you have non-urgent symptoms that are concerning to you, please call the Jefferson Healthcare Respiratory Illness Consult Line at 360-344-3094 (Monday-Friday, except for major holidays).

COVID-19 Pre-Procedure Testing

Pre-procedure testing – Jefferson Healthcare does pre-procedure testing for patients with a Jefferson Healthcare provider.

• Procedures to be done at Jefferson Healthcare – your procedural department will provide instructions to you if you need to do pre-procedure testing
• Procedures to be done outside of Jefferson Healthcare – please follow these instructions

COVID Antiviral Medications

Jefferson Healthcare administers COVID antiviral medications for the treatment of COVID-19 illness.  Jefferson County residents who have a positive COVID test may meet the criteria for these medications. COVID oral antivirals, which are COVID-19 treatment pills taken by mouth, are available by prescription only.

If you believe you qualify and would like COVID antiviral medications, please call the Jefferson Healthcare Respiratory Illness Consult Line for screening and more information: 360.344.3094.  The line is staffed Monday-Friday (except for major holidays), voicemail is checked regularly and, in most cases, calls are returned the same day.

Please be aware that COVID antiviral medication needs to be started within 5 days of symptom onset. If you test positive for COVID on the weekend:

• If you will still be within the 5-day window on Monday, please leave a message on the Consult Line and you will receive a call back on Monday to get medication, if you are eligible
• If by waiting until Monday you would be outside of the 5-day window for antiviral medication, you can either:
  • Get antiviral medication on Saturday through the Washington Department of Health’s contracted virtual service called COLOR. You can call them at 833-273-6330 or access their online request form. Please be aware that they are not open on Sundays.
  • You could also visit the Jefferson Healthcare Express Clinic, open 7 days per week, 9:00am-7:00pm, if you need your symptoms evaluated by a provider and also want to ask about antiviral medication.

COVID Vaccine

• Jefferson Healthcare Sheridan Clinic is scheduling nurse visit vaccine appointments for established patients 6 months to 4 years, in addition to booster appointments for established patients 5-11 years old, who have already received two doses of the vaccine (with the 2^nd dose being at least 5 months ago). Call or text (360)-379-8031 for an appointment.
• Patients established with a Jefferson Healthcare primary care provider may be able to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination/booster through the primary care clinics in Port Townsend in conjunction with a provider visit.
• Jefferson County Public Health website offers the most up-to-date vaccine information.