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COVID-19 Resources for Providers

Last content update: 9/14/2022

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department continues to work closely with healthcare providers, hospitals, and its partners to address novel coronavirus. The department is taking action to protect the public and keep the community informed.

    Health Alerts

    Health Alerts

    Sign up for Santa Clara County provider health alerts
     
    Provider Alerts are a way for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to quickly communicate urgent Health Advisories, Updates and Guidance around various topics including COVID. See Health Alerts Archive here.

    For state and federal Health Alerts, visit the California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) webpage and the CDC's Health Alert Network (HAN).

    COVID-19 Guidelines

    COVID-19 Guidelines

    Updated 3/12/22 - CDPH Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs 

    • CDPH does not require testing for children under 2 to return to childcare after Day 5 of isolation or quarantine, but Santa Clara County requires testing for children under 2 for return from isolation or quarantine. This is the only area where Santa Clara County guidance differs from current CDPH childcare guidance.

    For all other guidance on isolation, quarantine, and testing, reference the CDPH guidelines below.
     

      COVID-19 Guidelines for the General Public

      Updated 4/22/22 – The California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) guidelines for general public isolation and quarantine has been updated. See SCCStayHome.org for more information.

      COVID-19 Guidelines for Healthcare Workers (HCWs)

      Updated 4/15/22 – Healthcare workers in acute care hospitals or skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) should follow the isolation, testing, and work restriction guidance in AFL 21-08.8. Staff in all other healthcare settings should consult COVID-19 Guidelines for Staff and Residents in High-Risk Settings for isolation, testing, and work exclusion guidelines.

      COVID-19 Guidelines for residents in Skilled Nursing Facilities

      Consult AFL 20-53.6 and COVID-19 Guidelines for Staff and Residents in High-Risk Settings for guidance on testing and quarantine for residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

      Healthcare Facility Request for Resources or PPE

      Healthcare providers* who need PPE, antigen tests, or other resources to continue delivering healthcare services during this time can make a request through the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

      Please fill out the applicable 213 Resource Request (213RR) form below, save and send as an attachment to: [email protected].

       
      Tips on filling out the 213RR

      • Please read "How to use the EOC Form 213RR" on page 1 of the request form:
      • Page 1 contains required information for all requests and must include signatures for "Approved By" (box 7).
      • Last page is completed by the OA EOC.
      • Please see this sample 213 RR form for additional guidance.

      *The Santa Clara County Dental Society (SCCDS) will manage all PPE requests from dental providers in Santa Clara County. Please email the SCCDS at [email protected].
       
      PPE Use and Conservation Strategies
      You are encouraged to procure PPEs from your vendors if possible. For urgent needs, the County may be able to provide you with PPEs. Please refer to SCC PHD Resource Request Process. Submit a 213 RR to [email protected].

      Reporting

      COVID-19 Response and Reporting 

      Healthcare provider reporting is an essential part of the public health response to COVID-19. Not only is reporting COVID-19 required by law, but it also helps shape our response as the information is used to detect outbreaks, identify exposures in high-risk settings, and inform the allocation of local resources. Timely and complete reporting of fatalities is necessary to characterize and communicate who is at highest risk of dying at home and in the hospital. See below reporting forms and guidance for providers managing COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, deaths, and other COVID-19 related situations.

      Provider COVID-19 Reporting and General Assistance

      Providers can report COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, and/or deaths to the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT). For technical assistance with SPOT, please contact the SPOT Help Desk at [email protected] or call (916) 520-1619.

      For questions, the Provider Response Group (PRG) is available through email at [email protected].

      Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT)
       

       

        1. Guidance for Suspected/Confirmed Cases and Outbreaks of COVID-19

        What to do:

        1. Provide the patient with appropriate information about isolation and quarantine:
          Information can be found in the Guidelines for COVID-19 Cases, Contacts, and People with Symptoms handout and at the COVID-19 Guidelines for the General Public webpage. If patient is a resident of a high-risk setting, please consult COVID-19 Guidelines for Staff and Residents in High-Risk Settings.
        2. Report a confirmed case in any Long-Term Care Facility (LTCF), including a skilled nursing facility (SNF), through the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT)*.
        3. Complete a Case Report Form (updated 2/9/22) if required. See reporting instructions under "Reporting COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks" below for when submission of Case Report Form is required.
          *Note: Not all cases need to be reported through the SPOT portal. Only those which occur in workplace, school, or congregate residential settings are required to be reported through SPOT.  

        Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT) Training Materials:

        •   SPOT Reporting Process Overview
        •   SPOT Help and Training Material

        2. Reporting COVID-19 Cases and Outbreaks

        Providers must report to PHD in compliance with the chart below.

        Provider Responsibilities to Report COVID-19 Cases

        Class of Cases Who Must be Reported How to Report
        Patients with a positive COVID-19 test received by ordering healthcare provider Please note, as of 1/14/2022, case report form submission is required only for COVID-19 cases who are:

        (1) hospitalized
               or
        (2) deceased

        Case report form submission is no longer required for post-vaccination cases OR cases that occur in congregate settings, unless case meets one or more of the criteria above. All required questions must be completed for CRF submission to be considered compliant with Title 17 requirements.
                 		 Complete an online COVID-19 Case Report Form (updated 2/9/22). Providers who wish to may still report using the PDF form (updated 2/9/22) and submit by email or fax. Form now includes option to report post-vaccinated cases.
        Case Report Form (CRF) requirement must be met within 1 business day instead of within 24 hours.
        See section below on how to submit a Case Report Form to PHD.
         
        Healthcare facility outbreaks* Providers must report all employee or patient cases and contacts associated with a healthcare facility outbreak (defined as confirmed and epidemiologically linked* cases of COVID-19 meeting at least one of the following criteria:
        1. 2 or more cases in a patient 7 or more days after admission for a non-COVID condition,
        2. 2 or more cases in healthcare workers who are not close contacts outside of the workplace when county case rates are <4 daily new cases per 100k population or test positivity was <5% in the county in the past week,
        OR
        1. 3 or more cases in healthcare workers who are not close contacts outside of the workplace when county case rates are ≥4 daily new cases per 100k population or test positivity was ≥5% in the county in the past week).
        Providers are no longer required to report individual healthcare employee or patient/visitor healthcare associated cases in non-SNF/LTCF healthcare facilities.

        Complete an online report for case(s) via the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT) within one business day.
         

        Submitting COVID-19 Case Information to SPOT

        • If you do NOT have an existing SPOT account linked to the location you are reporting for, submit a SPOT Intake Form to report case information.
        • If you have an existing SPOT account linked to the location you are reporting for, you may report case information by submitting a SPOT Intake Form or logging in to SPOT and reporting cases directly to the Location Account.
        • If the Public Health Department has provided an Exposure Event number for an ongoing exposure, report cases directly to that Exposure Event or link the Exposure Event number on the SPOT Intake Form.

        For more information, see SPOT Reporting Overview and SPOT Help and Training Material.

        For technical assistance with SPOT, please contact the SPOT Help Desk at [email protected] or call (916) 520-1619. 
        Congregate setting†–cases and outbreaks*
        †Settings include workplace, school, or congregate residential settings.
                 		 Please note, as of 1/14/2022, case report form submission is no longer required for COVID-19 cases that occur in congregate settings, unless case was:

        (1) hospitalized
               or
        (2) deceased

        However, providers must still report (via online report for case(s) through the SPOT portal) any suspected congregate setting outbreak (defined as confirmed and epidemiologically linked* cases of COVID-19 meeting at least one of the following criteria:
        1. 2 or more cases in patients 7 or more days after admission for a non-COVID condition,
        2. 2 or more cases in healthcare workers who are not close contacts outside of the workplace when county case rates are <4 daily new cases per 100k population or test positivity was <5% in the county in the past week,
        OR
        1. 3 or more cases in healthcare workers who are not close contacts outside of the workplace when county case rates are ≥4 daily new cases per 100k population or test positivity was ≥5% in the county in the past week).
        LTCF & SNF Settings: A single case which occurs in long-term care facility or skilled nursing facility (LTCF/SNF) settings constitutes a congregate setting outbreak.

        Complete an online report for case(s) via the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT) within one business day.
         

        Submitting COVID-19 Case Information to SPOT

        • If you do NOT have an existing SPOT account linked to the location you are reporting for, submit a SPOT Intake Form to report case information.
        • If you have an existing SPOT account linked to the location you are reporting for, you may report case information by submitting a SPOT Intake Form or logging in to SPOT and reporting cases directly to the Location Account.
        • If the Public Health Department has provided an Exposure Event number for an ongoing exposure, report cases directly to that Exposure Event or  link the Exposure Event number to the SPOT Intake Form.

        For more information, see SPOT Reporting Overview and SPOT Help and Training Material.

        For technical assistance with SPOT, please contact the SPOT Help Desk at [email protected] or call (916) 520-1619. 
        Children Children with MIS-C (Multi-Inflammatory Syndrome in Children)

        Complete the MIS-C Form.

        AND,  

        Complete an online COVID-19 Case Report Form  (updated 2/9/22). As of 1/14/2022, Case Report Form submission is required only for COVID-19 cases who are (1) hospitalized or (2) deceased. Providers who wish to may still report using the PDF form (updated 2/9/22) and submit by email or fax.

        *For definitions of “outbreak” and “epidemiological linkage,” please click here.
         
        How to submit a Case Report Form to the Public Health Department:
        Please note, as of 1/14/2022, Case Report Form submission is required only for COVID-19 cases who are (1) hospitalized or (2) deceased. Case Report Form submission is no longer required for post-vaccination cases OR cases that occur in congregate settings, unless case meets one or more of the criteria above. In addition, a required question has been added to this form to ascertain if the patient was hospitalized for COVID-19 illness. All required questions must be completed for CRF submission to be considered compliant with Title 17 requirements.

        There are two options to submit a Case Report Form to Public Health. Providers are encouraged to use the online reporting method but may use the old PDF fillable form method if they choose. Case Report Form (CRF) requirement must be met within 1 business day instead of within 24 hours.

        Online Reporting Method 

        1. Open the online form (updated 2/9/22)1,2 and complete all fields 3,4
        2. Attach supporting labs in form and submit

        PDF Fillable Form Method

        1. Download the fillable form here (updated 2/9/22)1,2
        2. Complete all fields3,4
        3. Scan
        4. Attach form and supporting labs to email
        5. Using a secure email account, send documents to [email protected]
        6. If you cannot send via secure email, please fax documents to (408) 224-7046


        1 Do NOT submit a Confidential Morbidity Report (CMR). Please use the Case Report Form (updated 2/15/22) instead.
        2 Do NOT submit a report to the Public Health Department if the patient’s residence is outside of Santa Clara County – refer to instructions from the patient’s respective county of residence.
        3 We recommend prioritizing the following fields if unable to complete the entire form: Contact for next of kin, Resident of congregate setting, Symptom onset date, and Date of admission. If time allows, symptom and comorbidity information should also be completed.
        4 Providers are also asked to provide close contact information on the Case Report Form whenever possible. If close contacts cannot be elicited from the patient, please ensure that contact information of next of kin is included.

        3. Reporting COVID-19 Deaths

        Healthcare providers are required to report all deaths of anyone who has ever tested positive for COVID-19, including out of hospital deaths and deaths among residents of congregate residential facilities. Reporting to Santa Clara County is required only for residents of the County. Death Report Form (DRF) requirement must be met within 1 business day instead of within 24 hours. This can be done by doing the following:

        1. Immediately call the Medical Examiner at (408) 793-1900, ext. 2.
        2. Complete the online Death Report Form (version 1.28.2021). Providers who do not wish to use the online form may still report using the PDF fillable form and submit via 1) secure email to [email protected] or 2) secure fax to (408) 224-7046.

        If the decedent tested positive for COVID-19, please include their PCR or antigen test result with their Death Report Form. Do not report antibody test results because they are not adequate for diagnosing COVID-19.

        If you have additional questions, email the Public Health Department at [email protected].

        4. Guidance for Congregate Care Settings

        Congregate Settings include but are not limited to long-term care facilities, jails/prisons, retirement communities, dormitories, and shelters/encampments.

        Additional guidance specific to Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs).

        5. Guidance on Movement of Patients between Hospitals and Long-Term Care Facilities

        Hospitals do NOT need approval from the Public Health Department before discharging or releasing a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient to a Long-Term Care Facility.

        Consult AFL 20-53.6 for testing and quarantine guidance when receiving patients from an LTCF or when proposing to discharge patients to an LTCF.

        Reporting Forms

        Provider COVID-19 Reporting and General Assistance

        Providers can report COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, and/or deaths to the Shared Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT). For technical assistance with SPOT, please contact the SPOT Help Desk at [email protected] or call (916) 520-1619.

        For questions, the Provider Response Group (PRG) is available through email at [email protected].

          1. Reporting COVID-19 Cases

          Updated 2/15/22 - Case report form submission is required only for COVID-19 cases who are (1) hospitalized or (2) deceased. Case report form submission is no longer required for cases that occur in congregate settings, unless case meets one or more of the criteria above.  New version posted 2/15/22 no longer requires names of close contacts.

          2. Reporting COVID-19 Outbreaks
          3. Reporting COVID-19 Deaths
          4. Public Health Lab Requisition Form
          Prevention

          Prevention

          Encouraging patients to get vaccinated and to continue wearing masks are two critical ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Instruct patients to stay home if they are feeling sick and get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are vaccinated. See resources below to learn how providers can prevent COVID-19 in their community.
           

          Vaccination Resources

          County of Santa Clara COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Healthcare Providers
          Learn how to become a vaccine provider and get answers to frequently asked vaccine questions.

          CDPH For Vaccine Providers
          Vaccination Program Provider FAQ
          Information and updates on the California COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Providers

          California COVID-19 Vaccination Program
          Resources and communication on California COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Providers

          CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Requirements and Support

          CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical & Professional Resources


          Additional Prevention Resources

          CDC Prevent Spread of COVID-19
          Infection Control Topics

          CDC How to Protect Yourself and Others

          CDPH Protect and Prevent
          Get all the information you need to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
           

          Treatment

          Treatment

          Early intervention with treatments may reduce severe illness and hospitalization for people at high risk. See the resources below to learn more about available COVID-19 treatment options.

          NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines
          The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines provide clinicians with evidence-based recommendations on the management of COVID-19.

          County of Santa Clara COVID-19 Oral Antivirals
          Information for providers on currently authorized COVID-19 oral antiviral medications including eligibility criteria, prescribing instructions, and current pharmacy locations.

          CDPH Treatment Information for Healthcare Professionals
          Questions and Answers: Treatment Information for Providers & Facilities

          Distribution and Ordering: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics
          Learn more about therapeutic product distribution and how to order.

          HHS Therapeutic Locator
          Find COVID-19 therapeutic distributors near you.

          Fact Sheets: COVID-19 Outpatient Therapeutics
          Summary on each outpatient therapeutic product.

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