COVID-19 Patient Information
El Rio Health prioritizes the safety of our care providers, staff, patients and visitors. To prevent the spread of disease, we require everyone entering El Rio facilities to follow basic infection control measures. These include:
- If you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, get tested
Masking:
Masks are optional for patients and visitors on El Rio facilities. We strongly recommend wearing a mask at the following times:
- During every respiratory virus season, from November 1 to April 30
- During sustained periods of high community transmission of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, RSV and influenza
- When you are experiencing respiratory virus symptoms
We provide surgical masks to anyone who asks for one. Masks differ in the degree of protection they provide. We encourage you to wear a facility-provided mask, but you may also choose to wear a mask that provides a higher level of protection (N95, KN95 or KF94).
Please respect and support everyone’s individual decisions, including those who choose to continue wearing a mask. Masking helps protect others in our community who may be immunocompromised or at greater risk of serious illness.
Vaccines:
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, work well, and are the best way to protect against COVID-19 infection. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine will help to protect you and those around you from infection and serious illness.
- It is especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are ages 65 and older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine
- CDC recommends a shared decision-making process for 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination for patients under 65 years old
See more details – COVID-19 Vaccines | COVID-19 | CDC
COVID treatment:
- If you have COVID-19 and are more likely to get very sick, medications are available that can reduce your risk of hospitalization and death
- Don’t delay: Treatments must be started within 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.