COVID-19 VACCINES, Testing & wELNESS access

• Children aged 5 to 11 can now get vaccinated against COVID-19. Check out the list of vaccine sites and information on booking an appointment.

SFDPH guidance on celebrating safely includes the following:

• Get vaccinated against COVID-19, including children ages 5-11 now that they are eligible.

• Get a COVID-19 booster -- especially if you’re a senior or at higher risk.

• Get a flu vaccine, which can be taken safely with a COVID-19 booster

• Choose outdoor activities over indoor activities, and limit being in crowds especially if you are unvaccinated

• Wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings, or whenever feasible in private indoor settings – especially when unvaccinated are present or the vaccination status of those present is unknown

• Wash your hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer wherever you go

• Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. This means two weeks after completing your primary dose series (two doses for Pfizer and Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson)

• Monitor your health and stay home if you feel sick, and get tested

• Consider testing within 72 hours before you travel or gather with others as you may have an asymptomatic infection. You can use an FDA-approved rapid at-home, self-test kit, reach out to your health service provider, a travel testing provider, or to receive a test, go to: sf.gov/gettested

• COVID-19 Testing FAQ

• Get tested: Any essential workers, including health care workers, first responders, grocery clerks, construction workers, drivers, childcare workers and others can get tested without symptoms. Anyone living or working in San Francisco can get tested with one symptom or if they believe they've been exposed to the coronavirus.

• Baseline COVID-19 Program: Online screener and appointment scheduling system first focusing on high-risk populations as advised by the California Department of Public Health guidelines. Testing will be provided to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, regardless of their ability to pay.

• Increased Access to COVID-19 Testing in San Francisco: The San Francisco Public Health Laboratory (SFPHL) announced it will accept COVID-19 specimens for testing without requiring prior approval from the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFPDH). This will increase testing for prioritized patient populations and streamline test ordering for providers.

• NEMS COVID-19 Information: Telephone and video appointments, clinic hours, contacts

• OneMedical COVID-19 Testing is now open to non-members and those without symptoms

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19

• Tips for Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health During An Infectious Disease Outbreak from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

• Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• Mental Health And COVID-19 – Information And Resources from Mental Health America

• If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or isolated, you can call the San Francisco Mental Health Warm Line at (855) 845-7415 or chat with them online at www.mentalhealthsf.org/peer-run-warmline.

• If you are a senior who is feeling isolated due to the coronavirus, the Institute of Aging has a warm line called The Friendship Line. It operates 24 hours a day at 800-971-0016 or 888-670-1360

• If you are having thoughts about harming yourself, you can call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention hotline at (415) 781-0500, and they can provide you with confidential emotional support. You can also chat online with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

• If you are co-quarantined with an abuser or are worried about having to self-isolate in a dangerous home situation, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 or chat online.

• For those with alcohol and addiction issues, you can find help in programs like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. For confidential support from Alcoholics Anonymous, you can call their helpline at (415) 674-1821 or email them at help@aasfmarin.org. To reach Narcotics Anonymous, call (415) 610-7294. Online meetings are also available at https://www.weconnectrecovery.com and www.intherooms.com.

FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEES

• Heal SF is a comprehensive effort to provide immediate and coordinated mental health services for San Francisco's public, private, and non-profit health care providers.