Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Protecting yourself and your community
COVID-19 Testing & Vaccines
COVID-19 VACCINE: Laurel Health has COVID-19 vaccine available at all Laurel Health Centers for everyone aged six months and up. To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine, please call 1-833-LAURELHC (1-833-528-7354) and select the center of your choice or click here to use our online registration form. You do not have to be an established LHC patient to schedule your vaccine with us.
Patients should still receive a COVID-19 vaccine if they’ve previously had COVID-19, as studies indicate the vaccines confer stronger, broader, and longer-lasting protection. Patients are advised to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine to bolster and extend vaccine protection.
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS: If you suspect you may have been exposed to or are experiencing symptoms of Coronavirus COVID-19, call your healthcare provider immediately so that they can assess your risk and recommend your next care steps. If you need a healthcare provider, call us at 1-833-LAURELHC (1-833-528-7354) or click here to visit our LHC provider page.
COVID-19 TESTING: The Laurel Health Centers provide COVID-19 testing at all sites, including rapid tests. Anyone requesting a test will receive a televisit with an LHC provider to evaluate symptoms and/or exposure and determine if / what type of testing is needed. To schedule a test, call 1-833-LAURELHC (1-833-528-7354) and select the office of your choice or click here for a full list of Laurel Health locations.
COVID-19 VACCINE FAST FACTS:
The vaccines are safe and effective. Before being approved for use, they were rigorously studied and evaluated for safety and effectiveness. These vaccines were reviewed in-depth by top clinical experts around the world and vetted through all the same intensive clinical trials as every other vaccine. They have now been safely given to millions of people.
Not being vaccinated carries a high risk of contracting COVID-19, which can carry serious complications and long-term effects like "long COVID," exacerbated chronic health issues, hospitalization, and death. Everyone aged six months and up is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Sign up for your vaccine today!
- Being vaccinated helps prevent you from catching COVID-19 and greatly reduces your risk for serious symptoms, complications, hospitalization, or death if you do become infected with COVID-19
- The vaccines teach your body how to effectively fight the virus without having to risk COVID-19's symptoms, dangerous complications, or long-term problems
- Side effects mean the vaccine is working well to prompt your immune response; they are usually mild like sore arm & fatigue and resolve quickly (1-3 days)
For the latest information on COVID-19's spread and local cases, click here to visit the PA Dept. of Health.
How to Protect Yourself
EVERYONE should continue to take precautions against COVID-19; each measure below is a tool in our COVID-19 prevention toolkit. No single tool is 100% effective, so a combination of prevention measures provides the best protection:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for a full 20 seconds; hum happy birthday twice to make sure you're spending enough time at the sink.
- After interacting with public surfaces or items, always wash your hands (e.g., after handling money, credit cards, gas pumps, items in a store, door handles, light switches, toilet / sink handles, or shopping carts).
- When on the go, use hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of 60% or higher and rub your hands together for at least 15 seconds until all gel is absorbed.
- Get your updated COVID-19 vaccine to help your body better recognize and fight off COVID-19. The vaccines are safe and effective. They have been vetted through all the same intensive clinical trials as every approved vaccine. The vaccines have been safely given to millions of people and are one of your best lines of defense against COVID-19. To learn more, click here.
- Avoid rubbing at your eyes, nose, or mouth. These are easy entry points for viruses and germs.
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth and do your best to maintain social distancing when in crowded public settings like schools, supermarkets, stores, churches, and businesses, especially during cold and flu season.
- Be aware of current COVID-19 case counts in your area and adjust your activities accordingly. If community transmission is high, avoid high-risk activities and avoid in-person visits with vulnerable people (e.g., older adults, those with chronic conditions, those with serious illnesses, and unvaccinated groups). Use technology like video chatting, texts, calls, and social media to stay connected while keeping those most vulnerable safe.
- If you suspect you may have been exposed or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, always call ahead to your family doctor, clinic, or emergency room for guidance. This allows healthcare providers to prepare for your arrival and ensure you can safely receive care without exposing others. Laurel Health has COVID-19 testing available at all sites.
- If you feel sick, stay home. Staying home to rest when you feel ill reduces your likelihood of spreading illness to others and allows you to better recover. If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms like fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, or loss of taste/smell, call your doctor for guidance on testing and treatment. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, call 911.
Stay home
Wash your hands
Cover coughs and sneezes
Clean and disinfect
Always Make Time for Hand Hygiene
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available. Rub your hands together thoroughly until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands as these are easy entry points for viruses.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue, the crook of your elbow, or into your upper bicep NOT your hands.
If Cases Are High, Avoid Close Contact to Prevent Exposure
- Put distance between yourself and other people through social distancing. Stay at least six feet apart when interacting with others, do not gather in large groups, and stay home when instructed to do so. This is especially important for people at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses.
- Avoid unnecessary travel and very crowded places when community transmission is high. For unavoidable crowds such as using public transportation during cold and flu season, wear a well-fitting mask or face shield over your mouth and nose and remember to wash or disinfect your hands frequently.
- If you must go out, plan your trip for an off-time when there will be less people and be aware of your surroundings, or ask someone who is at lower risk to run your errands then wash their hands thoroughly before handling / delivering your items.
- Do not visit someone sick with COVID-19 unless necessary; if you must come into contact, try to stay at least six feet away and wear a well-fitting mask over your nose and mouth. Make sure to wash your hands after visiting someone who is not well.
- If a member of your house is ill, encourage them to self-isolate to avoid spreading illness throughout the entire family.
Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives
Proper handwashing prevents infections, illness, and the spread of germs. Wash your hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds several times per day and after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose. Humming the tune “Happy Birthday” twice is an easy way to make sure your family is spending enough time at the sink.
When running errands, going out to eat, or shopping, be mindful of washing your hands after handling money, restaurant menus and tables, shopping carts, door and toilet handles, check-out touch screens, or gas pumps. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, as these are easy entry points for viruses like COVID-19.
Questions about whether to use liquid or bar soap? Antibacterial or regular hand soap? Check out this helpful video to the right for a quick FAQ rundown on washing your hands thoroughly to kill germs!
More COVID-19 Resources
If You're Feeling Sick...
If you're feeling sick and may have been exposed to COVID-19, call your healthcare provider so that a medical professional can assess your risk and recommend your next care steps. If you need a healthcare provider, call the Laurel Health Centers at 1-833-LAURELHC (1-833-528-7354).
Remember, PLEASE CALL AHEAD to your family doctor or clinic to discuss your concerns. If you show up without forewarning, you can accidentally expose other vulnerable patients and staff. By calling ahead, you can help protect others and avoid spreading illness.
All Laurel Health locations have COVID-19 testing and vaccines available, including rapid tests and PCR swabs. To request a test or appointment, call the Laurel Health Centers at 1-833-LAURELHC (1-833-528-7354) or click here to visit our contact page for a list of numbers by location.
