SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. —
Kaiser Permanente has temporarily closed several medical offices in San Diego and throughout Southern California amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Other Kaiser officers are offering limited services as well, according to a statement on the health care company’s website.
“The health and safety of our members is always our top priority. In an effort to limit additional exposure to COVID-19 throughout the community, we have decided to temporarily close or limit services. By doing this, we are able to coordinate care and combine much-needed medical equipment and staff while still providing high-quality care to our members,” a statement on the website reads in part.
To schedule appointments – including phone or video visits – Kaiser members can visit kp.org or call (833) 574-2273. If you are a patient with a prescription waiting at a closed location, you can fill your prescription at any KP pharmacy or use the mail-order pharmacy online or by calling (866) 206-2982.
San Diego County Kaiser offices closed as of April 9:
- Bostonia Medical Offices
- Carmel Valley Medical Offices
- Carlsbad Medical Offices
- El Cajon Medical Offices
- Kearny Mesa Medical Offices
- Vista Medical Offices
- All Target clinic locations are also closed.
Local Kaiser offices offering limited services:
- Oceanside Medical Offices — Pediatric Well Child visits only
- Point Loma Medical Offices — Behavioral Health, Addiction Medicine, Surgical Fertility, Pharmacy, Laboratory, and Radiology
- Rancho Bernardo Medical Offices – Pediatric Well Child visits only
- Rancho San Diego Medical Offices – Pediatric Well Child visits only
Click here for additional information and a full list of Southern California medical offices closed or offering limited services.
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We also have a Frequently Asked Questions page we will continue updating with the latest information and reports.
Click here to watch "Facts Not Fear," a News 8 Special on coronavirus from March 26, 2020.
BACKGROUND
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, as with any other respiratory illness:
Know how it spreads
There is no vaccine
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus
It is thought to spread mainly from person-person between people in close contact
And believed to be spread by respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes
Protect yourself
Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds
If soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Put distance between yourselves and others
Protect others
Stay home when you are sick
Wear a facemask if you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
If you don't have tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow
Immediately wash your hands after coughing and sneezing
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
You can find information on disinfecting and cleaning on the CDC's How to Protect Yourself page.
The California Department of Public Health has issued guidance on the use of cloth face coverings to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
The County of San Diego has made face coverings mandatory for those working with the public including grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and similar businesses.
While officials say these face coverings are not a substitute for practices like social distancing and handwashing, there is evidence to suggest that the use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Officials do not recommend the public use N-95 or surgical masks which are needed by health care workers and first responders.
