The COVID Hotline’s Most Commonly Asked Questions
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/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2021

The COVID Hotline’s Most Commonly Asked Questions

As cases rise, so do calls to the COVID-19 Info Hotline. We checked in with Director of Clinical Services for the D-H Putnam Medical Group Katharine Green, BSN, RN, and the nurses who answer your calls to learn what questions you are asking and their answers.

What are the hours of the COVID Resource Center?
Visit svhealthcare.org/COVID-Resource-Center for hours.   

What if I am exposed? What do I do?

  • If you have symptoms, get tested as soon as possible, regardless of your vaccination status and quarantine until those results become available.
  • If you have no symptoms and you are vaccinated, get tested 3 – 5 days after the last exposure and wear a mask when in public until you know your results. If positive, follow the directions provided at the testing site.
  • If you have no symptoms and you are not vaccinated, quarantine for 7 days and get tested on or as close as possible to day seven. Even if you test negative before day seven, you will need another test on day seven to ensure that the results are accurate.

Do I need a referral for COVID testing?
No. If you have symptoms or think you have been exposed, you should be tested. No referral is required. When you schedule online or register for a drive-up test, be sure to indicate your primary care office; so they will get a copy of your results. If you test positive, call your primary care office; because they may have individualized treatment recommendations based on your risk factors.

What sort of testing does the COVID Resource Center provide?
We provide a PCR test, which is the standard for reliability and the type of test most institutions require for the purposes of verifying that you are eligible to return to work or school. Other types of tests are available in other locations, but this is most likely the best test for you.

Do I need an appointment for COVID testing?
Having an appointment makes COVID testing faster for you and your neighbors. Schedule ahead at svhealthcare.org/COVID-Resource-Center. Not only are we able to space patients out, when you schedule online, you complete your consent electronically in the comfort of your home, instead of using a pen and paper in your car. This minimizes legibility errors. Plus, we can have the labels we use to mark your test tubes all printed out in advance, rather than having to write them out. Finally, you can indicate your primary care provider’s office, so they will receive the results automatically and be able to recommend important treatments more quickly. If you hit a snag scheduling or need an appointment right away, please use the drive-up appointment-free option. It’s more important to get the test when you need it than it is to have an appointment.

It seems like all of the scheduled appointments are taken? What do I do?
If the COVID Resource Center is open, please drive up for testing.

My COVID test is negative, but I am really sick. What do I do?
COVID-19 is not the only disease. Flu, pneumonia, strep throat, and other serious conditions can make you feel awful. If you are feeling sick, even with a respiratory illness, it could be something else. Call your primary care provider and get some help.

When do I get my results?
Most tests results are returned within 24 – 36 hours, but we are routinely returning them sooner. How soon you get your results depends on how many specimens are collected during that day and other factors.

How do I get my results?
There are so many easy and convenient ways to get your results. Read about them all here: https://svhealthcare.org/Wellness-Connection/accessing-your-covid-test-results.

I tested positive. What should I do?
If you test positive, follow the directions for isolation at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html. Also, let your primary care provider know, as they may have individualized treatment recommendations for you.

When can I discontinue isolation?
Isolation and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the first positive viral test and after resolution of fever for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with improvement of other symptoms. Ten days is necessary even if you receive a negative test after your positive one. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/duration-isolation.html for details.

What’s the difference between a vaccine and a booster?
For adults, the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and booster are identical. It is the same medication, the same preparation, and the same amount. For Moderna, the booster is the same medicine in a half dose. For children, the Pfizer vaccine is 1/3 of the adult dose.

Can I choose what booster I get?
Yes, you can. See advice from SVMC Infectious Disease Specialist Marie George, MD, FIDSA, here.

Can I get my COVID and flu shots at the same time?
Yes. The COVID Resource Center is not providing flu shots at this time, but you can get both at most primary care practices and pharmacies.

If your question isn't answered here, call the COVID-19 Info Hotline at 802-440-8844 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. 

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COVID-19 Scams

Scams are almost as old as time. They always take advantage of our vulnerabilities and fears. So in times of mass panic, like has been caused by COVID-19, opportunities for scammers increase, said Southwestern Vermont Health Care's Information Technology Security Engineer Geoffrey Mazanec.

IT experts noted a 667 percent increase in malicious phishing e-mails as of the end of last month. Security firm Barracuda Networks identified 137 coronavirus-related phishing emails in January, 1,188 in February, and more than 9,000 in March. 

There are most likely several reasons for the increase.

  • First, many scams exploit our fears. As fear increases, so to opportunities for scammers. Many scams have been tweaked to include a reference to COVID-19, which may cause people to react more quickly and without thinking.
  • Scammers also exploit our desires to be good people—to pay our bills on time and follow directions—which could also be heightened during a crisis.
  • During COVID-19, everyone is conducting more business remotely. In the effort to keep all of our online activities straight, we may lose track of who is on the other end of the phone line or e-mail.
  • Mazanec notes that, with so many people out of work, scammers may have taken what had been a part-time swindling gig full time.

These startling statistics and our increased vulnerability make it a great time for a refresher about how scammers attack and how to avoid getting caught in a scheme.

Phishing. The most common way scammers operate is by phishing. They call or e-mail, usually posing to be a company or organization that you trust: the IRS, Medicare or Medicaid, or a company that you have done business with before. And they are crafty. They can even make it look as if they are calling from a business you recognize. They are counting on your thinking that they are the real thing.

"Lots of people, looking for protective equipment, for instance, are purchasing from companies that they have not dealt with in the past," Mazanec said. "Scammers want you to believe that you have purchased from them, when you have not."

They might send you an "invoice due" message with a .pdf attachment, or they might provide a link for you to click and log in. They want you to do one of two things: (1) Give up your personal information, either over the phone or by logging in to a fake sign-in page or (2) click on a .pdf or website that will infect your system.

So what can you do? Mazanec recommends not clicking. "If you don’t recognize it, don't open it. Instead, always question whether it is legitimate. And, no matter who it is, don't give anyone usernames or passwords."

Disconnect the call or delete the e-mail and call the company directly. If you don't have their number on hand, you can find it using a Google search. If you ask them whether they just called or e-mailed you, you will likely find that they have not. Congratulations. You’ve just avoided a scam.

Too good to be true. Some scammers are also selling fake products. For instance, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued warnings to seven companies selling fraudulent products that claim to test for, prevent, or treat COVID-19. Some even claimed to be approved by the FDA! Other companies are taking personal information in exchange for being added to a fake list for early access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

There is no valid at-home test for COVID-19 and no viable at-home treatments, unless you count rest and plenty of fluids for mild cases. Consult with your local healthcare provider before taking any testing or treatment action, as some can be harmful or even deadly.

To avoid scams like this one, read, watch, and listen to reputable news sources. If there is a legitimate at-home test, treatment, or vaccine, you will hear reports about it from your state's department of health and other official organizations.

More information about scams related to COVID-19 can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/media/phishing.html and https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams-consumer-advice.

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