It's a new year, or is it?
Washoe County officials reported this week that the population is again at a very high risk of getting COVID-19. Asthe Omicron variant spreads and COVID-19 cases increasein Washoe County, the county isrecommendingthat peoplereceive a COVID-19 test if you are showing signs of COVID-19 or were in close contact (6 feet or less for 15 minutes) to a positive case.
There has been a 150 percent increase in COVID-19 cases since Dec. 26, 2021, according to the Washoe County COVID-19 dashboard this week. There were nearly 5,200 active cases reported in the county on Wednesday, 372 of those cases new.
Here's the most recent guidance on how to handle yourself if you suspect you have the novel coronavirus, or were exposed:
Current isolation guidance
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionnowrecommends people isolate for at least five days after they test positive for COVID-19. If after day fivetheir symptomsare improvingor they have remained asymptomatic, they can leave isolation and wear a mask around others, the CDC says.
If you experience trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest;new confusion;inability to wake or stay awake;pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone; or any other severe or concerning symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
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How and where to get tested
Both hospitals offer COVID-19 testing but, before you can be tested for COVID-19 at a Renown lab location, you must obtain a lab order from a provider. You can get a lab order here.At SaintMary's, you can alsoschedule a test at one of the urgent cares online and it specifies whether your test is due to illness, exposure or for a travel requirement. At Northern Nevada Medical Center,symptomatic patientscan get tested at one of the urgent care locations.
TheWashoe County Health Districtis also offering testing and added additional locations this week due to the rise in cases.The county is offering appointment-only testing at theReno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. No appointment is required at the additional locations, though online registration is encouraged.
The testing locations, which are open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., are:
- Bartley Ranch Regional Park, 6000 Bartley Ranch Rd, Reno
- Eagle Canyon Park, 400 Eagle Canyon Drive, Spanish Springs
- South Valleys Regional Park, 15650 Wedge Pkwy, Reno
- North Valleys Regional Park, 8085 Silver Lake Rd, Reno
All residents are eligible to get a test.Up to 1,600 people per day can get a test viaWashoe County's added locations. The testing will include both a rapid antigen test (results in 1 hour) and a confirmatory test (results in 47-72 hours). Those who receive a positive test result will be notified via email and phone; if the test is negative, the results will be sent only by email.
You can otherwise get a test at numerous pharmacies. For a full list of participating testing locations visit the Nevada Health Response website.Appointments are required at most testing sites.
Reno
- Washoe County Health District, 1350 N. Wells Ave. in Reno
- CVS, 2890 Northtowne Blvd.in Reno
- Walmart, 2425 E. Second St. in Reno
- CVS, 1081 Steamboat Pkwy. in Reno
- Walgreens, 3495 S. Virginia St. in Reno
- VA Medical Center, 975 Kirman Ave. in Reno (Veterans only)
- DispatchHealth Urgent Medical Care Reno,85 Kirman Ave. Suite 1 (If you do not have insurance or would like to self-pay, the flat rate for a visit is $275. This includes medications administered, procedures performed, and any lab tests obtained.)
- Walgreens, 750 N. Virginia St. in Reno
- Walgreens, 10370 N. McCarran Blvd. in Reno
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Sparks
- Walgreens, 2299 Oddie Blvd. in Sparks
- Walgreens, 3000 Vista Blvd. in Sparks
- CVS, 5151 Sparks Blvd. in Sparks
- Saint Mary's Urgent Care, 5070 Ion Drive, Suite 100 in Sparks
- Walgreens, 292 Los Altos Parkway in Sparks
- Walgreens, 9705 Pyramid Way in Spanish Springs
- CVS, 5485 Sun Valley Boulevard
Do home tests work? Where do I get one?
At-home testing for COVID-19 is detecting the novel coronavirus about 85 percent of the time, according to a recent report from the New York Times. It's mostly accurate, but if it's negativethat doesn't rule out infection, the CDC reports, and you should repeat the test with at least 24 hours between tests, according to the CDC.With that said, many retailers are running out of at-home tests and cannot keep up with demand, especially as the rates of spread continue to rise.
Is it too late to get vaccinated?
If you have been exposed to COVID-19, have symptoms or test positive, you should wait to get vaccinated so as not to potentially infect healthcare personnel and others during the vaccination visit. Once you've quarantined for the appropriate amount of time, the CDC encourages anyone over the age of 5 years old to be vaccinated.
To get a vaccination or a booster shot, you can go to the Washoe County Health District, which offersCOVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday.Appointments can be scheduled by calling 775-328-2427 or by visiting the county website.
Vaccinations and booster shots are also available at a number of grocers and pharmacies, including but not limited to participating locations of CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Save-Mart, Smith's, Safeway, Costco andSam's Club. TheReno Sparks Tribal Health Centeralso isproviding vaccinations. For a full list of where you can get vaccinated in Northern Nevada, visit Immunize Nevada online or call 1-800-401-0946.
How do I tell the cold/flu/COVID-19 apart?
While there are overlapping symptoms between all of these illnesses, some of the distinguishing symptoms of COVID-19 include a drycough and sometimes theloss of one's sense of taste and smell, according to the Mayo Clinic.If you havesymptoms of COVID-19, and you're not sure, however, gettested. While waiting fortest results, the CDC recommendsyou stay away from others, including staying apart from those living in your household.
Jenny Kane covers arts and culture in Northern Nevada, as well as the dynamic relationship between the state and the growing Burning Man community.She also covers the state's burgeoning cannabis industry (Check out her podcast, the Potcast, on iTunes.)Support her work in Reno by subscribing to RGJ.com right here.