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COVID-19 Information

September 27, 2022

COVID-19 Testing

COVID testing appointments are available for residents of the Health Care District who:

  • Have been exposed to COVID-19
  • Are experiencing COVID symptoms

COVID tests for travel or events are not conducted at this site.

Testing is done at the Washington West drive-up tent by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 510.248.8200.

At your appointment time, drive to the tent area in the parking lot of Washington West, park near the entrance to the tent and wait for a clinician to approach your vehicle. The tent is located at 2500 Mowry Ave., in the parking lot facing Civic Center Dr. across the street from the Emergency Department.

Testing in the Emergency Department

Washington Hospital's Emergency Department is always open and sees patients with medical emergencies, including those with emergent COVID symptoms. COVID testing in the ED is performed at the discretion of the ED provider.

For everyone's safety, all patients are seen in private rooms.

Patients can get test results by logging into their personal MyChart account, three to four days after the test is administered.

The patient's insurance will be billed for COVID-19 testing, but copays and/or deductibles are waived by most insurance companies for COVID-related services only.

For a list of community COVID testing sites go to http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov/testing.aspx or https://www.fremont.gov/residents/covid-19-resources.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters

COVID vaccination appointments, including boosters, are available by calling 510.248.8200.

Vaccinations are available for anyone 12 years and older who:

  • Received their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 5 months ago
  • Received their J&J vaccine at least 2 months ago

Pediatric vaccines are available for children 6 months to 11 years of age

Parents should call 510.248.8200 to schedule an appointment. Due to social distancing, only one parent is allowed to accompany children in the vaccination clinic.

More Information About COVID-19?

The CDC has general COVID information available on their website, including a fact sheet on COVID vaccination.

The California Department of Public Health also offers COVID-related information on their website.

For COVID information specific to Alameda County, go to the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency website.

Masks are Still Required in Health Care Settings

For your safety and that of all patients and their loved ones – as well as our employees, physicians and volunteers – we remind you that face coverings continue to be required in health care settings. This includes all Washington Hospital Healthcare System buildings and clinics. And wearing a mask applies to everyone. Wearing a mask includes those who are fully vaccinated. Please wear the hospital-issued mask that is available at our building and clinic entrances.

Self-Screening & Sanitizing Prior to Entry

Everyone entering any Hospital building or clinic is required to self-screen for symptoms prior to entering.

We also require that you sanitize your hands before you enter. Hand sanitizer is conveniently available at all entrances and throughout our buildings and clinics.

Visitor Information

Visiting hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

See our Patients & Visitors page for our visitor guidelines.

For technology options to help facilitate communication with patients in the Hospital, please call our Service Desk at 510.818.7099

CDC Coronavirus Self-Checker

Worried that you may have COVID-19? When should you seek medical care? The Coronavirus Self-Checker will ask you questions to establish illness and location, and recommendations for next steps, which could include calling 9-1-1 or staying home and contacting your doctor.

Try the CDC Coronavirus Self-Checker by clicking here and then clicking on the “Coronavirus Self-Checker” button.

Our Response to the Coronavirus

Washington Hospital is well prepared to care for COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) patients. We treat and handle all suspected coronavirus cases according to our infectious disease protocols. In addition, we follow strict guidelines as defined by the California Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes having designated isolation rooms in our Emergency Department and throughout our facilities, thus allowing us to keep patients with possible infectious diseases separate from others. The health and safety of our patients and visitors, as well as our staff, physicians and volunteers, remains a top priority for us.

Don't delay your health care. To learn more about Washington Hospital's precautions during COVID-19, go to www.whhs.com/dontdelay.

Convalescent Plasma Donation

Washington Hospital has joined more than 2,200 hospitals across the country in a government-supported program to administer convalescent plasma as a therapy for those who are severely ill with COVID-19. This is part of an investigational study led by the Mayo Clinic, which recently posted a report showing that this promising approach appears to be safe for COVID-19 patients.

The treatment entails harvesting antibody-rich plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19, then transfusing it into those who are newly infected with the virus. The hope is the convalescent plasma will help speed recovery and increase the odds of survival for those fighting COVID-19.

“The issue right now is there are not enough donors to meet the current need for convalescent plasma,” said Dr. Azizirad. “We encourage people who have recovered from COVID-19 to register with the Red Cross to donate plasma so they can benefit others in their community who are currently fighting the illness. We also hope local physicians will remind their patients who have had the virus to help in this way.” For more information on plasma donation, visit the Red Cross website at: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasma-donations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html

Hours of Operation

Outpatient Lab Hours: Open Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Sunday closed.

Women's Center Hours: Open Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Outpatient Imaging: Open Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Recommendations to Help Prevent Illness:

  • Wash hands with soap and water. If soap and water not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
  • Practice social distancing—stay 6 feet from others—when outside of your home
  • If you are sick, stay home
  • Get vaccinated to prevent severe illness

For more on coronavirus, we encourage you to visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Also, the Alameda County Public Health Department is an excellent local resource, and they have coronavirus information at http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx.

If you have questions or concerns about coronavirus, call your primary care physician. For all life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Donating to Washington Hospital

We thank the community for reaching out to inquire about how they can help Washington Hospital Healthcare System with the fight against COVID-19. Across the nation, hospitals both big and small, are facing an unprecedented challenge in a number of areas including hospital-grade personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers. The Hospital is constantly monitoring supply levels while continuing to aggressively investigate new vendor sources.

Anyone interested in donating to the Hospital can do so by contacting Washington Hospital Healthcare Foundation at 510.818.7350. We ask that items not be delivered to the Emergency Department or any other area of the Hospital without first contacting the Foundation.

These are difficult times for everyone, but we will continue to be here for the community. Patient, staff and physician safety is the number one priority and we thank you all for coming together to help.