The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LAC DPH) issued a health advisory on March 19, 2020 that includes updates on COVID-19 testing guidance and home isolation instructions.
Read the full LAC DPH Health Advisory: COVID-19 Testing, Isolation and Quarantine, and Health Care Worker Monitoring Recommendations.
Key Messages
- The number of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County continues to rise, including many new cases in L.A. County residents without travel and exposure risk factors. This suggests increasing rates of community transmission of COVID-19.
- In the setting of increasing community transmission, LAC DPH is shifting from a strategy of case containment to slowing disease transmission and averting excess morbidity and mortality. It is recommended that providers test persons with symptoms compatible with COVID-19 only when a diagnostic result will change clinical management or inform public health response.
- With the increasing availability of COVID-19 diagnostic testing capability through commercial clinical laboratories, testing through the LAC DPH Public Health Laboratory (PHL) will be prioritized for the detection and prevention of outbreaks in acute- and subacute-care health facilities and non-healthcare congregate living settings.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance on discontinuing home isolation for persons with COVID-19 infection based on a combination of time-since-illness-onset and time-since-recovery criteria.
- LAC DPH has released Guidance for Monitoring Health Care Personnel based on recently revised CDC guidance. All healthcare personnel should self-monitor with the oversight of healthcare facilities.
- With increasing case counts of COVID-19, healthcare facilities should implement their surge plans. See Health Officer letter on COVID-19 Surge Planning.
Reporting
Los Angeles County DPH Acute Communicable Disease Control:
Positive COVID-19 lab results from clinical labs (not PHL) must be reported by healthcare providers within one day by fax.
- Fax a Medical Provider COVID-19 Report Form to 1.888.397.3778
Long Beach Health and Human Services:
- Call 1.562.570.4302 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- For after-hours, call the Duty Officer at 1.562.500.5537.
Pasadena Public Health Department:
- Fill out the COVID-19 Report Form at the Pasadena Public Health Department website. Fax the form to 1.626.744.6115 and call 1.626.744.6089 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (note: closed every other Friday) or for after-hours call 1.626.744.6043.
⇒ Keep up to date by visiting the LAC DPH Coronavirus Webpage for Health Professionals.