Coronavirus (COVID-19) Media Statements

Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UC San Diego Health is incorporating the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine back into the schedule for our vaccine clinics.

Appointments for any of the three vaccines - Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johson (Janssen) - may be available, depending on supply. When patients schedule an appointment, they can see which vaccine they will receive. If receiving a two-dose vaccine, both doses will be from the same manufacturer.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are given in two doses, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is given in one dose. All three vaccines are extremely effective at preventing severe illness for COVId-19 within a few weeks of receiving the complete dosage, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In accordance with joint recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, UC San Diego Health has paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine while these agencies review data regarding six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clotting disorder in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine.

All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, with symptoms appearing six to 13 days after vaccination. These cases are exceedingly rare, with an incidence rate of approximately 1 in 1.1 million vaccinations. By comparison, the CDC estimates the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are 1 in 500,000.

The review by the CDC and FDA occurs within the larger context of an on-going global review of similar cases reported among persons vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, where the overall estimated rate is one blood clotting case per 100,000 doses. Importantly, while it has been determined that a causal association between the AZ vaccine and these blood clot cases is plausible, that association has not been determined to be definitive.

Both the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines use a modified adenovirus to help trigger an immune response, an approach that has been employed in other vaccines. Both of the other COVID-19 vaccines approved for emergency use — Moderna and Pfizer — use a newer mRNA technology. There have been no safety signals for blood clotting disorders in either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

With the advent of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, the COVID-19 Vaccination Super Station at Petco Park will close permanently after the last scheduled appointment on Saturday, March 20. We are working now to ensure patients who received their first vaccine dose at this location have the opportunity to get their second dose prior to the closure.

Since January 11, 2021, UC San Diego Health, in collaboration with the County of San Diego, San Diego Padres and City of San Diego, has administered more than 200,000 vaccine doses at the Petco site — nearly one quarter of all doses administered in the county to date. The site was the first vaccination superstation in San Diego and has served as a model throughout the state and country. Since the Vaccination Super Station at Petco Park opened, many new vaccination sites, including other superstations, have opened in the county, providing greater and easier access to COVID-19 vaccines.

“We are extremely proud of what we accomplished at the Petco vaccination site,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “We set it up in just five days and ran it seven days a week, weather and available vaccine permitting, sometime exceeding 6,000 inoculations per day. The goal was to help vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible, and we have done that. Petco is a success story, which would not have been possible without our dedicated partners, staff and volunteers, who gave generously of their time, talents and resources to help end this pandemic.”

UC San Diego Health continues to manage a mass vaccination site, in collaboration with the County of San Diego, at the Recreation, Intramural and Athletic Complex (RIMAC) on the main UC San Diego campus in La Jolla. UC San Diego Health has also launched a mobile clinic, in coordination with local health care and social service providers, to deliver vaccinations to underserved communities where residents may not have the means or opportunity to visit more distant vaccination locations, following the guidance of the California Healthy Places Index.

For the latest information, please check back frequently at: health.ucsd.edu/covid-vaccine

On March 8, 2021, UC San Diego Health received its first allotment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (developed with Janssen Pharmaceuticals) for COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on February 27, 2021, is the third vaccine approved to help end the current pandemic.

UC San Diego Health began using the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in December, and has inoculated approximately 160,000 health care workers, patients and others under eligibility criteria determined by the State of California, Centers for Disease Control and other public health agencies.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be incorporated into current vaccination distribution programs at UC San Diego Health. Distribution will depend upon available vaccine supply.

Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which require two injections spaced 21 to 28 days apart to achieve full efficacy, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine involves a single injection. Also, the vaccine does not require ultra-cold storage. It can be stored in standard refrigerators at temperatures between 35.6 to 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and remains stable for months.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are based on a novel mRNA technology. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine employs an older approach: An inactivated common cold virus is modified to carry the SARS-CoV-2’s characteristic spike protein, which the virus uses to enter host cells. This vaccine is injected, and the presence of the spike protein prompts the human immune system to create neutralizing antibodies to block the targeted pathogen, essentially rendering subsequent exposures to the coronavirus as non-infectious.

“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine strategy builds upon their extensive experience using the same vaccine platform for many other infectious diseases, including HIV, Ebola and malaria,” said Susan Little, MD, professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and principal investigator of the UC San Diego trial arm of the Johnson & Johnson Phase III clinical trial. “No significant safety issues have been identified in studies of more than 100,000 people using this same vaccine platform for other infectious diseases.”

Clinical trial data found that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had a 72 percent overall efficacy rate in the United States and 64 percent in South Africa, where a highly contagious coronavirus variant is now prevalent.

Notably, said Little, clinical trials data found that the vaccine was highly effective against severe forms of COVID-19, significantly reducing risk of hospitalization or death. The vaccine’s protection was found to be generally consistent across all age groups and ethnicities. Adverse side effects, such as headache, fatigue and soreness, were milder than currently available mRNA vaccines. And there were no reports of serious allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis.

Patty Maysent, CEO, UC San Diego Health, said a third vaccine will help ease supply concerns and accelerate and broaden vaccination outreach. “More vaccine is indisputably a good thing, but this pandemic is a long-term challenge requiring a long-term remedy. Until we reach herd immunity and public health experts declare the pandemic over, we must continue to mask, distance, wash our hands and follow all appropriate measures.”

Note to media: click here for visual assets

Following the State of California’s announcement this week and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UC San Diego Health expanded into Phase 1B-Tier 1 and is the first health system in San Diego to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to patients age 65 and older.

Patient vaccinations began Thursday, January 14, 2021. The goal is to vaccinate approximately 500 patients per day at UC San Diego Health facilities. This is in addition to the nearly 10,000 UC San Diego Health employees who have already received their first doses in Phase 1A.

Dalia Talamantez and Donald Crawford were among the first patients to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at UC San Diego Health.

"I am elated to receive a vaccine,” said Talamantez. “I’m getting vaccinated because I want to be protected from the virus. I was inspired to get this vaccine because I have seen many relatives and friends impacted by this virus. So for me, it is absolutely wonderful and delightful that I was able to get it this soon.”

“This means the start of hopefully the end of this COVID-19 crisis,” added Crawford. “I got the vaccine because hopefully it will help me and others and we can eventually get back to normal.”

Eligible patients will receive a direct invitation to be vaccinated through their electronic medical record or a direct call from their health care provider. Patients are asked to wait for their vaccination invitations to avoid overwhelming phone lines and to accommodate ongoing services and care.

Because of limited vaccine supplies, UC San Diego Health is first contacting patients who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection and who have co-morbid health conditions. As more vaccine supplies become available, that capacity will increase.

⁠To get the latest information about the patient COVID-19 vaccine distribution, visit health.ucsd.edu/covid-vaccine

Note to media: Visuals, b-roll and a comprehensive set of FAQS are available here.

On December 22, 2020, UC San Diego Health received its first shipment of 5,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19. This shipment follows receipt on December 15 of the first 2,925 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Inoculations using the Pfizer vaccine began December 16 and are on-going. The Moderna vaccine will be incorporated into UC San Diego Health’s vaccine distribution program.

That program follows guidance from the CDC’s COVID-19 Taskforce and other entities, including the UC Health Coordinating Committee Bioethics Working Group. Distribution is scheduled by tiers, beginning with health care workers at greatest risk of infection.

At UC San Diego Health, this tier encompasses all 9,049 front-facing inpatient and ambulatory staff, such as residents, fellows, other trainees, environmental, health and safety workers, nurses, doctors, technicians, pharmacists and hospital-based physicians in the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit and operating room venues, followed by all non-patient-facing employees.

Subsequent tiers are under discussion and development by public health authorities.

We hope to soon vaccinate up to 500 UC San Diego Health team members per day, including weekends and complete vaccination of all 9,049 staff in the first tier over the next three weeks, contingent upon continuing vaccine shipments from Pfizer and Moderna.

“With two vaccines in hand, we can redouble our efforts to provide protection from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Patty Maysent, CEO, UC San Diego Health. “These are still early days, however. We must continue to mask, distance, wash our hands and follow all public health measures until everyone has been offered the chance to vaccinate and we have gained significant immunity. That day will come. This day is a big step toward it.”

Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine is based upon mRNA technology. It represents only the second such vaccine to be approved for human use, under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization. The Moderna vaccine also requires two injections for full efficacy, spaced 28 days apart. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, it does not require ultra-low storage temperatures.

Note to media: Visuals, b-roll and a comprehensive set of FAQS are available here.

On December 16 at 8:38 a.m., the first health care workers at UC San Diego Health began receiving their first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19.

At UC San Diego Health, we are vaccinating first those team members who regularly come into contact with patients, particularly those with COVID-19. The vaccine is not mandatory for our employees, but is highly encouraged. Today, we vaccinated a variety of team members, including Emergency Department and custodial staff, and some of the nurses who, in early February, were the first to care for patients with a novel coronavirus who had been transported from Wuhan, China.

This is a momentous occasion. We are extremely grateful to our patient care and support staff teams, who have been working tirelessly over the past 11 months to continue providing outstanding care to all patients and to keep our patients and each other safe, all while learning how best to care for patients with COVID-19 and building a robust COVID-19 testing system for our community.

“I came to the hospital to help out during the start of COVID-19, back when we first had patients from Wuhan. Walking up to the hospital that morning, I had no idea what lay in store,” said Marlene Millen, MD, chief medical information officer and an internal medicine primary care physician at UC San Diego Health. “In the months since, all that we’ve had to deal with, personally and as health care workers, has been tremendous. We’re all working very hard and doing our best. I’m excited to start offering this vaccine to our health care team members, and hopefully very soon to our patients. This means the end might finally be in sight.”

Some of the first team members vaccinated today said:

• “I come from the South Bay, where If I can do one thing to decrease those [COVID-19 case] numbers, then I’m in it 100 percent.”
  - Anna Cabral, unit coordinator in the Emergency Department and first person to be vaccinated at UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest, referring to a region of San Diego where COVID-19 and health disparities are especially prevalent
• "There is a lot of emotion right now — tears of joy and happiness. It's been a long year, and in the emergency room, we see so many people who are sick. This vaccination makes me feel a lot of relief."
  - Brianna Salas, RN, nurse in the Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health and first person to be vaccinated at Jacobs Medical Center in La Jolla
• "I think this is a turning point. This is a true milestone for everyone in terms of a glimmer of hope. I have been in health care for 42 years, and getting this vaccination is another way to take care of our patients and ourselves. As an African American, it was also very important for me to set the example to others of color that this vaccination is safe and is going to be what minimizes future infections."
  - Carl Solomon Sr., director of Environmental Services at UC San Diego Health
• "I had COVID in April, and I felt getting vaccinated today was the right thing to do to boost my antibodies and set an example for my teammates. Just because you have had COVID doesn't make you immune, so I want to make sure that I am keeping myself and my family safe. We all have to do this to come together as a community."
  - Alan Hood, environmental services supervisor at UC San Diego Health
• "It's a really exciting day. I'm pretty overwhelmed that we have this opportunity as health care providers to protect ourselves and protect our patients."
  - Erin Noste, MD, physician in the Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health

Since January, more people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 than died from the last five flu seasons combined. Many who died were young and did not have underlying medical conditions. Many people who recovered from COVID-19 months ago are still living with debilitating health problems. We do not yet know how their long-term health may be affected. A COVID-19 vaccine is your best chance to prevent becoming infected and spreading the virus to others. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and so the more people in our community who get vaccinated, the less the virus will circulate among us and the better protected we all will be.

Until a significant portion of the public is vaccinated, we urge community members to continue doing everything we can to reduce virus spread and keep each other safe, including following all public health measures, such as masking, hand washing, staying home, maintaining distance from people outside your immediate household, and activating the CA NOTIFY exposure notification app on your smartphone.

Note to media: Visuals, b-roll and a comprehensive set of FAQS are available here.

On Tuesday, December 15 at 7:14 a.m., UC San Diego Health received its first shipment of 2,925 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19.

This vaccine recently received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vaccine distribution is coordinated through the California Department of Public Health and local public health departments, governed by recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Following these recommendations, health care workers are receiving the first available vaccinations.

Specific distribution is focused on vaccinating first those health care workers with greatest exposure to COVID-19 patients, such as emergency department staff, trauma staff, respiratory therapists and personnel with face-to-face patient care in urgent care clinics.

“Our goal is to vaccinate as many employees as quickly as possible, depending upon supplies and evolving circumstances,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. “With subsequent vaccine shipments from Pfizer and as other vaccines, such as Moderna, come online, we will expand the opportunity to vaccinate to all health system employees, our patients and communities beyond. We are determined to do this as safely and effectively, as rapidly and methodically, as we can.

“But even with actual vaccinations starting, we must continue to follow all current measures designed to slow viral spread and infection, from masking and distancing to hand washing and signing up for CA NOTIFY.”

As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases. We continue to be extremely grateful for the work that our team members do each day to keep patients safe and fulfill our mission to deliver outstanding patient care.

UC San Diego Health is working diligently in preparation for the anticipated emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. FDA approval for the Pfizer vaccine is currently expected by mid-December, with the first vaccinations occurring shortly thereafter. The quantity of Pfizer vaccine doses to be received in December is not yet known; additional allocations are expected in subsequent months.

Vaccine distribution will be coordinated through the California Department of Public Health and local public health departments, and governed by recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), with guidance evolving as circumstances dictate.

It is strongly encouraged that persons with COVID-19 vaccine questions contact their health care provider or consult reputable sources, such as the FDA and CDC.

As soon as rumors began to circulate about hydroxychloroquine’s unproven potential to treat patients with COVID-19, UC San Diego Health pharmacies sequestered their available medication supply and implemented a plan to conserve supplies to be dispensed only for existing patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and other approved indications. Hydroxychloroquine is FDA-approved for the treatment of only those few conditions. Insufficient information regarding hydroxychloroquine efficacy in COVID-19 infection is available to recommend its use in the absence of clinical trials data. UC San Diego Health does not support the use of medications in ways for which there is not yet scientific evidence to support safety and efficacy.

Since UC San Diego Health leaders sought out expert opinion from their faculty early in the emergency, and moved quickly to implement this plan before hydroxychloroquine supplies were exhausted, we are confident our patients who rely on hydroxychloroquine will be able to continue refilling their prescriptions without issue.

At the same time, UC San Diego Health experts are interested in assessing hydroxychloroquine’s potential to treat COVID-19 in a safe, scientific manner. To do that, our researchers are completing the necessary steps to participate in existing clinical trials and launch our own investigations of the medication.

COVID-19 information for UC San Diego Health patients and visitors.

The current pandemic requires thinking and actions beyond the norm. The University of California is working closely with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials to address one of the greatest needs of the moment: rapid expansion of testing for COVID-19.

The effort is inspired, in part, by the innovative partnerships launched last month at UC San Diego with several diagnostics companies to operate multiple testing platforms, dramatically expanding local and regional capacity. These efforts continue, with encouraging results.

The University of California and its five medical centers are fully engaged in ongoing collaboration with the state to further develop, grow and refine processes that will make COVID-19 testing broadly accessible to all in need as quickly as possible, and to help bring this pandemic to a speedier conclusion.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has strained daily life across communities, countries and continents. It has particularly impacted the health care industry. UC San Diego Health has been at the forefront of the fight, both in treating patients and in developing a better understanding of the virus and how best to control its spread and consequences.

To help alleviate the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies in San Diego, UC San Diego Health has launched a donation website for the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are currently successfully managing PPE supplies as responsible stewards of our resources, we are asking all researchers and relevant facilities, individuals, organizations and communities to help by making key equipment and materials available to UC San Diego Health.

Through the website, we are accepting donations of PPE, food and other items for caregivers and financial contributions. For more information, please visit health.ucsd.edu/covid-donate. Together, we can play an important role in addressing this emergency and helping those affected as we continue to protect the safety of our community and health care workers.

Two health workers at UC San Diego Health have tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), due to exposure and infection in the community. Both are recuperating at home and doing well. UC San Diego Health has launched an extensive effort to identify any patients or health system colleagues who may have been in recent contact with either of the two health workers. We are in constant communication with appropriate public health and regulatory agencies.

Patients and team members entrust UC San Diego Health to keep them safe during their most vulnerable moments. We take this responsibility and the current situation extremely seriously, and understand the increased concern regarding potential exposure and its implications for one’s health and that of loved ones. Every step is being taken to reinforce current protective measures designed to ensure continued outstanding patient care in a safe environment.

Community spread of novel coronavirus is a real and growing threat to public health. Both infected health workers sought medical assessment after exhibiting key respiratory symptoms, and were tested. This is an important reminder that all persons experiencing symptoms of respiratory infection, such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath, should not go to work, but rather stay home and contact their health care provider for further guidance and management options. These actions are fundamental to slowing and preventing community spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

UC San Diego Health and its teams of doctors, nurses and support staff are absolutely committed to providing exceptional patient care to the San Diego community, grounded in evidence-based medicine and best practices. We have been a leading health care provider throughout the current national emergency. We will continue to do so, redoubling our efforts to provide exemplary health care to our patients and community.

UC San Diego Health caring for patients with novel coronavirus

A few patients from the region infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) who require hospital-level care are being treated at UC San Diego Health. UC San Diego Health is fully prepared to care for adult patients experiencing complications related to this disease. As the region’s only academic health system, we specialize in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases.

Our commitment to safely care for our patients, visitors and our team members is our top priority. To this end, we are working closely with our local public health department, the California Department of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other local and regional health care systems to support the needs of everyone who walks through our doors. All health care systems in the region are responding to a local spread of this infection as well as to potentially caring for individuals quarantined at Miramar who may develop symptoms and require hospitalization.

We understand others may be concerned about larger health risks. We want to reassure our patients, their loved ones and the community at large that UC San Diego Health is taking all necessary measures and precautions to minimize any potential exposures as we care for COVID-19 cases. Patients are treated in isolated rooms and health care providers in contact with these patients are trained to use appropriate personal protective equipment.

UC San Diego Health takes health risks associated with respiratory illnesses, including influenza and the novel coronavirus, very seriously. As such, we are implementing strict visitor restrictions. No visitors of any age will be permitted to visit our hospitals or clinics until further notice. Request for exceptions may be made by contacting the clinic or unit in which loved ones are receiving care.

Patients who have upcoming appointments who are currently experiencing a fever and a new cough or shortness of breath, should call their health care provider before their appointment to discuss next steps.

Patient Care Update: Second Patient Discharged

The second patient under UC San Diego Health's care for COVID-19 has been discharged. At this time, UC San Diego Health is no longer caring for any patients with confirmed or possible cases of COVID-19.

"The last few weeks have presented numerous challenges," said Patty Maysent, chief executive officer, UC San Diego Health. "Our skills, strengths and stamina have been tested, and I am proud to say we met the challenges across the board, throughout our health care system and across our broader communities.

"The situation was often fluid and unpredictable, and the doctors, nurses and staff of UC San Diego Health worked tirelessly to support patients in their care with compassion, dignity and respect. They have collaborated daily, sometimes hourly or by the minute, with partners and peers at San Diego County Public Health Services and the CDC.

"In all ways, at all times, their unified mission was — and remains — to keep patients and the public-at-large informed, protected and safe. It is not possible to express the depth of my gratitude for their efforts, professionalism and sacrifice."

As the region's only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of adults with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent than COVID-19. The medical teams and staff at UC San Diego Health stand prepared and ready to address future challenges, tapping into resources and expertise unmatched in San Diego County and beyond.

"With our partners in the federal and state government, as well as locally, we are doing everything possible to be prepared going forward," said Maysent. "That includes remembering that we are all in this together. Disease recognizes no boundaries or demographics. At one time or another, we are all either patient or caregiver. We must be responsible for each other. We must treat everyone we meet with inclusion, kindness and empathy. It's what makes us human, and something greater than any virus."

Patient Care Update: One Patient Discharged

UC San Diego Health was informed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that a patient under our care for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has fully recovered from the virus. The patient is no longer infectious and cleared for discharge. Patients who are cleared for hospital discharge have been confirmed through rigorous testing that includes consecutive negative test results provided by the CDC.

The patient was discharged today and is no longer under federal quarantine or isolation orders.

As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of adults with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent than COVID-19.

Thank you to all UC San Diego Health team members, and federal, state and local officials, who have helped with the complex coordination of care for these individuals. We send well wishes to this patient and all those who have been affected by this situation.

UC San Diego Health is currently caring for two patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. As needed, we will be accepting and caring for patients under investigation (PUI) who may develop symptoms that warrant further observation and testing.

The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is our top priority. As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent and deadly than COVID-19. We are taking all necessary measures and precautions to minimize any potential exposures as we care for both potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases. Patients are treated in negative-pressure isolation rooms; health care providers in contact with these patients are trained to use appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gowns, gloves, fit-tested high-filtration respirators and face shields or goggles.

We understand others may be concerned about larger health risks. We want to reassure our patients, their loved ones and the community at large that there is no exposure risk at any UC San Diego Health hospital or clinic. Patients and visitors can feel confident in making and keeping their appointments and using our services as usual.

UC San Diego Health currently has an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 respirators, to care for patients with certain transmissible diseases, including the novel coronavirus COVID-19. However, we are mindful of global supply chain limitations. We are following strategies provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for optimizing the supply of N95 respirators—these include regularly reminding our staff to conserve N95 respirators by using them only when they are required, and implementing practices that allow for extended use or limited reuse of N95 respirators for non-COVID-19 cases.

Since the CDC does not recommend the use of any type of masks or respirators among the general population to avoid getting COVID-19, we are not providing N95 respirators to visitors. Instead, we are reminding staff, visitors and patients to maintain appropriate hand hygiene practices, wash hands regularly, and avoid touching face, eyes and mouth.

At the same time, we are working closely with government agencies to coordinate appropriate distribution and supply of N95 respirators to address both immediate and long-term needs.

For more information about the CDC’s strategies for optimizing the supply of N95 respirators, please see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-supply-strategies.html.

The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is our top priority. As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent and deadlier than COVID-19. We are taking all necessary measures and precautions to minimize any potential exposures as we care for both potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases. Patients are treated in negative-pressure isolation rooms; health care providers in contact with these patients are trained to use appropriate PPE, such as gowns, gloves, fit-tested high-filtration respirators and face shields or goggles.

UC San Diego Health is currently caring for three patients at UC San Diego Health who were transferred from federal quarantine at MCAS Miramar. Two have tested positive for COVID-19; a third is considered a patient under investigation (PUI) who has developed symptoms that warrant further observation and testing. All three patients are doing well.

The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is our top priority. As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent and deadlier than COVID-19. We are taking all necessary measures and precautions to minimize any potential exposures as we care for both potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases. Patients are treated in negative-pressure isolation rooms; health care providers in contact with these patients are trained to use appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gowns, gloves, fit-tested high-filtration respirators and face shields or goggles.

We understand others may be concerned about larger health risks. We want to reassure our patients, their loved ones and the community at large that there is no exposure risk at any UC San Diego Health hospitals or clinics. Patients and visitors can feel confident in making and keeping their appointments and using our services as usual.

See COVID-19 information for our patients and visitors.

Precautions to Minimize Potential Exposures

UC San Diego Health continues to care for two patients transferred from MCAS Miramar under federal quarantine for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. One patient has tested positive for COVID-19; the other is being evaluated for the infection. Both patients are doing well, with minimal symptoms.

The safety and well-being of our patients and staff is our top priority. As the region’s only academic health system, UC San Diego Health specializes in the care of patients with complex illnesses, including infectious diseases more virulent and deadlier than COVID-19. We are taking all necessary measures and precautions to minimize any potential exposures as we care for both potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases. Patients are treated in isolated rooms; health care providers in contact with these patients are trained to use appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gowns, gloves, fit-tested high-filtration masks and face shields or goggles.

We understand others may be concerned about larger health risks. We want to reassure our patients, their loved ones and the community at large that there is no exposure risk at any UC San Diego Health hospitals or clinics. Patients and visitors can feel confident in making and keeping their appointments and using our services as usual.

Patient Privacy Practices

On Sunday, February 9, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials informed San Diego Public Health that all four patients being evaluated for novel coronavirus (now known as COVID-19) at UC San Diego Health had tested negative for the virus. This information was shared with UC San Diego Health, and at the CDC’s direction, the four patients were discharged wearing masks and returned directly to federal quarantine at MCAS Miramar.

CDC officials later advised San Diego Public Health that one of the four patients had in fact tested positive for COVID-19. The confirmed positive patient was returned to UC San Diego Health the next day for observation and isolation until they can be cleared by the CDC for release.

In order to protect patient privacy, UC San Diego Health followed standard security protocols using pseudonyms for patients under evaluation. The CDC, however, used different naming protocols that were not shared with our institution. We have since worked closely with the CDC to protect patient privacy while ensuring that labeling matches at all facilities.

The privacy and welfare of our patients remains our number one priority.

One Patient Has Tested Positive for COVID-2019

On Sunday, February 9, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials informed San Diego Public Health that all four patients being evaluated for COVID-19 at UC San Diego Health had tested negative for the virus. This information was shared with UC San Diego Health and at the CDC’s direction, the four patients were discharged and returned to federal quarantine at MCAS Miramar.

Two patients, who arrived aboard a plane from China to MCAS Miramar on February 5, are currently being evaluated for 2019-nCoV at UC San Diego Health.

This morning, CDC officials advised San Diego Public Health that further testing revealed that one of the four patients tested positive for COVID-19. The confirmed positive patient was returned to UC San Diego Health for observation and isolation until cleared by the CDC for release.

One additional patient from MCAS Miramar was transported to UC San Diego Health this afternoon for evaluation for COVID-19. As per CDC instruction, patients being evaluated will remain admitted until the test results are confirmed by the CDC.

Both patients are doing well and have minimal symptoms.

The safety and welfare of our staff and patients remains our number one priority.

UC San Diego Health Receiving Patients from Miramar