COVID-19 Information
LAST UPDATED: June 27, 2023
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Vaccines continue to be the safest and most effective way to protect from COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. All Oregonians six months and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If you are 14 and under, you must be with a parent or guardian. Siskiyou Community Health Center offers the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are approved for anyone six months and older. We also offer the 3-dose series of the Pfizer vaccine for children six months to four years old.
If you already had your primary vaccine series, getting a booster is essential to maintain your protection against COVID-19. The new Bivalent boosters have been shown to protect individuals against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants circulating today. Once you have your booster, it only takes two to three days to strengthen your immune response.
Boosters
Siskiyou Community Health Center offers the new Bivalent COVID-19 Boosters.
Who is eligible?
Everyone 5 years and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster dose.
When can you get your booster?
At least 2 months after your last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was your final primary series dose or the original (monvalent) booster.
Which booster shot can you get?
Siskiyou Community Health Center’s supply of Moderna and Pfizer bivalent booster vaccines may fluctuate. We always have at least one of them on-hand.
Children that are 5 years old are currently recommended to receive the updated (bivalent) Pfizer-BioNTech booster.
People 6 years and older can get either the updated (bivalent) Pfizer or Moderna booster regardless of what they received for their primary series.
Frequently Asked Questions about the COVID-19 Vaccination
Third doses are different from booster doses. A third dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) can help protect people with weakened immune systems who did not have a strong enough response to the first two doses of one of these vaccines. People in this category can get a third dose as soon as 28-days after the second dose. The FDA has authorized, and the CDC recommends, that those with certain medical conditions that suppress the immune system get a third dose of the same brand of COVID-19 vaccine that they initially received, whenever possible. Additional doses are currently not recommended for people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, even if they have a qualifying medical condition.
Based on CDC recommendations, third vaccine doses are available now for people who are considered moderately or severely immunosuppressed. This includes individuals who:
- Receive active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood;
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
- Have either had a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
- Were diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome;
- Are diagnosed with HIV and have a high viral load or low CD4 count, or are not currently taking medication to treat HIV;
- Are taking drugs such as high-dose steroids or other medications that cause suppression of the immune system.
If you are not sure if you fit into any of these categories, please contact your medical provider.
COVID-19 can cause serious illness or even death. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get sick, you could spread the disease to friends, family, and others around you. All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 disease. Even if you still get infected after you get vaccinated, the vaccine may prevent serious illness.
No, the vaccine does not cause COVID-19. None of the approved COVID-19 vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19. It does take a few weeks after vaccination for your body to build up antibodies to protect you from the virus. That means it’s possible you could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after getting the vaccine and still get sick.
Some people might get sore muscles, feel tired, or have mild fever after getting the vaccine. These reactions mean the vaccine is working to help teach your body how to fight COVID-19 if you are exposed. For most people, these side effects will last no longer than a few days. If you have any concerns, call your doctor or nurse.
Siskiyou Community Health Center offers the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. These vaccines require two shots. The first shot gets your body ready. The second shot gives you full protection.
Click here to read the Moderna Fact Sheet (English). (Spanish)
Yes, you should still be vaccinated because you can become infected more than once. Although you may have some short-term natural protection (known as immunity) after recovering from COVID-19, we don’t know how long this protection will last. Vaccination is the best protection, and it is safe. People who get COVID-19 can have serious illnesses, and some have terrible symptoms that continue for months. If you have had COVID-19, ask your doctor, nurse, or clinic when you should be vaccinated.
Although the vaccine is free, you or your insurance will be billed an administrative fee. Most insurance plans cover the fee. For those that are on our sliding discount program, you will be responsible for the appropriate slide fee.
Test to Treat Program
The Test to Treat program connects people at high risk of severe COVID-19 to treatments. Through the Test to Treat initiative, individuals can be tested for COVID-19, see a healthcare provider (including virtual visits), receive a prescription for an oral antiviral treatment if they are eligible, and have the prescription filled, all in one location. Siskiyou Community Health Center has the oral antiviral medications Paxlovid and Molnupiravir. These medications must be started within the first five days of symptoms. If you have tested positive or believe you have COVID-19, call (541) 472-4777 to see if you are eligible for one of these medications.
Established primary care patients: Medical triage will be able to assist you without an appointment.
Non-patients: A virtual or in-person appointment with our Walk-In Clinic will be required.
COVID-19 Testing Information
We offer same-day COVID-19 testing for our patients, including patients of our Walk-In Clinic. We also offer travel testing on a limited basis (excluding Hawaii). If you are seeking testing, have symptoms or exposure to COVID-19:
Patients: Call (541) 471-3455 in Grants Pass and (541) 592-4111 in Cave Junction and ask for nursing triage.
If you do not have a primary care provider at Siskiyou Community Health Center: A Walk-In clinic provider can evaluate your symptoms through our virtual visit platform. Click here for information on scheduling a virtual visit.
Travel Testing: Due to a limited supply of COVID-19 tests, we are temporarily no longer offering travel testing. We look forward to offering this service once supply levels are back to normal.
Results: Patients will be notified of their results the same day or within 24 hours of their visit.
Siskiyou Community Health Center offers three types of COVID-19 diagnostic testing, all of which are covered by insurance. A provider will determine which type of test is appropriate based on the patient’s situation.
The cost of a virtual visit evaluation for COVID-19 is $49.
The cash price for the COVID-19 test itself is:
1. Onsite PCR = $154.00
2. PCR sent out to LabCorp = $61.31 ($51.31 billed from LabCorp. $10 collection fee charged by Siskiyou Community Health Center)
3. Antigen = No Charge
Services That Have Changed
Due to COVID-19
Due to COVID-19
Siskiyou Community Health Center is committed to the health and well-being of the community. To maintain the highest level of safety for our patients, staff, and healthcare providers, we’ve made some protocol changes and implemented telemedicine visits when appropriate. For all patients seen in the office, be assured we have a rigorous cleaning process of the entire clinic to prevent the spread of infection.
- Follow-up medication visit
- Postpartum visits, as determined by your clinical provider
- Review lab results and imaging studies
- Discussion of birth control/family planning options
- Pre-OB visits
- Rash
- Diabetes follow-up appointments
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Other health topics that do not require an exam
- Dental evaluations
For more information on virtual visits, click here.
