COVID-19 Resources & Information

Below are links to information about COVID-19. We understand these are uncertain times and want to be a resource for you.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to our providers and healthcare team with questions or concerns. 

Instructions to Follow After You Have Been Tested 

CLICK HERE for important guidance on what to do after being tested for COVID-19 at Memorial Community Health.

COVID-19 Testing

• Memorial Health Clinic: COVID-19 testing is available through Memorial Health Clinic in Aurora.  Please call 402-694-3191 to talk with our healthcare staff in regards to your symptoms or exposure to the virus.
• TestNebraska: various location throughout the state are available through TestNebraska.  You must register at TestNebraska.com where you will have an opportunity to select the site of testing that is most convenient for you.

ISOLATION vs. QUARANTINE

Who needs to "Isolate" and who needs to "Quarantine"? What's the difference? See below if you or a loved one have been advised to take either of these actions. Contact your healthcare provider or your local health department if you have questions.

Who needs to Isolate? 

==> People who have COVID-19

• People who have COVID-19 symptoms and are able to recover at home
• People who have no symptoms (are asymptomatic) but have tested positive for infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19

Steps to follow:
Stay home except for medical care:
• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning signal (including breathing difficulty), seek emergency medical care immediately
• Stay in a room separated from the other household members if possible
• Use a separate bathroom if possible
• Avoid contact with other household members and pets
• Don't share personal household items such as cups, towels, and utensils
• Wear a mask when around other people, if you are able to
• If you have a positive COVID-19 test, please go to this link to learn more about how to care for yourself while you're sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html

When can you end isolation?
If you had symptoms:
• At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
• At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*
*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation
• If you had severe illness from COVID-19, your healthcare provider may recommend that you stay in isolation for longer than 10 days after your symptoms first appeared
If you are asymptomatic and continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after:
• 10 days have passed since the date you had your positive test

Who needs to Quarantine?

==> People who have been exposed to COVID-19

• People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19-excluding people who have had COVID-19 in the past 3 months.

(Note that people who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.)

What counts as close contact?
• You were within 6 feet away from someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more.
• You provided home health care to someone who is sick with COVID
• You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed)
• You shared the same eating or drinking utensils
• The COVID positive person sneezed, touched, or somehow spread breathing drops to you

You should:
• Contact your healthcare provider to discuss getting tested (the CDC now recommends testing for exposed individuals)
• Stay home and monitor your health for 14 days* after your last contact with a person who has COVID
• Watch for fever (100.4 ◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19
• Stay at home away from others, especially people who are at high risk of becoming severely sick of COVID-19

*Note: The CDC continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus. CDC will continue to evaluate new information and update recommendations as needed. See this page for more information on shorter quarantine options: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html.  

For more information, visit the CDC website:
Isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html
Quarantine: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

Additional Sources of COVID-19 Information 

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - resources and national information about COVID-19
• Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services - resources and information for the state of Nebraska
• Central District Health Department - resources and information covering Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick Counties
• South Heartland Health District - resources and information covering Clay Center, Adams, Nuckolls, Webster Counties
• Four Corners Health Department - resources and information covering Polk, Butler, York, and Seward Counties