COVID-19 Information

Masks at Family Care Network

Family Care Network follows the Washington State Department of Health’s masking guidelines for healthcare facilities.

While we still recommend masking for patients and staff for increased protection from communicable diseases, masking in FCN facilities is optional. Any staff member or patient can continue to wear a mask based on personal preference. Additionally, patients at increased risk of exposure and/or personal comfort may request that their care team wear a mask during their visit.

There are situations where masking is necessary to reduce the spread of disease. Patients may be asked to wear a mask if they have:

• Cold, flu, or COVID symptoms
• COVID exposure (for 10 days after exposure)
• Confirmed COVID diagnosis (for 10 days after onset)

In these cases, patients should keep their mask on at all times, including while waiting in an exam room. Do not remove or lower your mask unless instructed to do so by your provider.

If needed, acutely ill patients may be brought through an alternate entrance to reduce the risk of exposure in the waiting room. Depending on the reason for the visit, care can sometimes be provided while the patient remains in their car.

Getting needed medical care

Appointments at FCN can be completed in person or via telemedicine. On-demand telemedicine for urgent care is also available.

Seeking care for flu-like or respiratory symptoms:

• Most viruses can be adequately cared for from home with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications.
• If you have questions about your symptoms or if your symptoms worsen, please call ahead for an appointment at your regular primary care clinic. All FCN providers offer visits via telemedicine, a secure and convenient option for virtual healthcare.
• After regular clinic hours, call your primary care office to speak with the after-hours on-call provider PRIOR to seeking care at an urgent care center or emergency department. We are often able to assess symptoms and provide guidance over the phone.
• If you arrive at one of our primary care or urgent care clinics with respiratory or flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, fatigue, etc), please do NOT immediately enter the waiting room. Instead, please wait in your car and call the clinic to let staff know you have arrived.
• While in your car, you may be screened by our triage staff to gather more medical information on your condition.
• If you are asked to come into the main clinic waiting room, you may be asked to wear a mask. Select patients may be evaluated in their cars or escorted through an alternate clinic entrance.
• Testing for flu and/or COVID-19 will be based on protocols provided by local health agencies.

If you have symptoms, were exposed, and/or test positive for COVID-19, follow recommendations from the CDC:

• Protect yourself and others
• What to do if you are sick

COVID-19 Testing

A visit is required for an FCN provider to place an order for COVID-19 testing, in person or via telemedicine. Testing is typically performed at an FCN location. Your provider will contact you with the results, which typically takes 2-3 days.

If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, please call ahead to describe your symptoms BEFORE seeking care in an office, urgent care, or emergency department. Keep yourself separated from other household members as much as possible.

If you do not have symptoms but need a test due to a known or possible exposure, COVID-19 testing is available in Whatcom and Skagit County without an order from a healthcare provider. Learn more here:

• Whatcom County COVID-19 Testing
• Skagit County COVID-19 Testing

If you are not a patient of Family Care Network, you can see a provider at one of our Urgent Care locations or through our On-Demand Telemedicine service.

FCN does not offer COVID testing for travel. Please contact a local pharmacy for assistance.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Family Care Network strongly recommends getting a COVID-19 vaccine to reduce the risk of disease from this virus. The CDC has authorized use of COVID-19 vaccine for adults and children age 6 months and older. All available vaccines offer excellent protection from serious illness or hospitalization from COVID-19.

• Vaccines for COVID-19

Multiple pharmacies, health departments and healthcare organizations offer COVID-19 vaccine throughout the community. Family Care Network offers COVID-19 vaccine for children only at this time. Please contact your clinic for more information.

COVID-19 vaccine for kids

Some children may experience minor side effects such as pain, swelling or redness at the injection site. Other side effects may include fatigue or headache, but they should go away within a few days. Serious side effects are rare.

If you have specific questions regarding vaccinations for your child, please schedule an appointment with your child’s primary care provider, either in person or via telemedicine.

Local options for COVID-19 vaccine for children:

• Child vaccine availability in Whatcom County
• Child vaccine availability in Skagit County

COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy

Getting vaccinated is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your baby against COVID-19. Pregnant women who become infected with COVID-19 have increased risk for pregnancy and personal health complications. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and strongly recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the CDC, and Family Care Network.

Please review the links below and let your doctor know if you have any questions.

• ACOG/SMFM COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation
• CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine and Pregnancy
• Handout: COVID Vaccination in Pregnancy and Lactation

What to expect after vaccination

Side effects from a COVID-19 vaccine generally occur within two days and last about a day. Not all people experience side effects; those that have been reported include:

• • Injection site reactions: pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, swelling (hardness), and localized rash/redness
  • General side effects: fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, nausea and vomiting, and fever

There is a remote chance that a COVID-19 vaccine could cause a severe allergic reaction. For this reason, patients are asked to remain at the location where they receive their vaccine for 15 minutes for monitoring. We recommend that patients with a history of severe reaction to vaccines schedule an appointment at a clinic location (not our drive-through) to support additional monitoring.

Learn more: Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine

General vaccine Info

Please check the CDC website for up-to-date vaccine information regarding safety, benefits, the different vaccines being considered, and how the CDC is making recommendations for vaccination.

The Washington State Department of Health website also posts current information about vaccines, or you can call their COVID-19 Assistance Hotline at 1-800-525-0127.

COVID-19 Antibody Testing

An antibody test detects coronavirus antibodies in individuals who have been exposed to the virus.

Antibody lab testing at FCN:

• FCN providers are able to order a COVID-19 IgG antibody test for their patients when deemed appropriate.

If you are interested in this test, please follow these recommendations:

• Contact your regular primary care provider to discuss the test and its limitations. Your provider may need to schedule a telephone consult or telemedicine visit with you.
• Contact your insurance company to ask if the test is covered under your specific benefit plan. The cost of the test will likely include both a draw fee and a processing fee.

Patient Fact Sheet (Access SARS-CoV-2 IgG)
Provider Fact Sheet (Access SARS-CoV-2 IgG)

COVID-19 Basics

COVID-19 is a new strain of a respiratory coronavirus. It has symptoms similar to the flu or other upper respiratory illness: fever, cough, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, runny nose, etc.

To reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, all eligible individuals are strongly encouraged to get vaccincated. This applies particularly to people at higher risk of severe illness: people over 60 years of age; people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease or diabetes; people with weakened immune systems; and pregnant women. Follow state and federal guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (wear a mask, keep your distance, and limit interactions with people outside your household, especially in public places).

People without symptoms can be infected with the virus, which means they can unknowingly spread it to others. Check with state and county health departments for restrictions on businesses, schools, and public gatherings.