Responses to frequently asked questions

• What are the symptoms of a COVID-19 infection?

  The symptoms of COVID-19 infections can range from very mild to severe, 和 some people have no symptoms at all. They can appear in as few as two days up to 14 days after exposure. Explore the Centers for Disease Control 和 Prevention's COVID-19 symptom checklist to get a better idea of what your next steps should be if you are feeling ill.

• What should I do if I think I have COVID-19?

  Contact your primary care provider to learn about your options for 测试 和 treatment. You can also explore the CDC's guidance on what to do if you were exposed to COVID-19 和 what to do if you test positive.

  If you're a patient at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, contact the staff for specific instructions before scheduling a 测试 appointment in MyChart.

  If you have a medical emergency, call 911 和 notify the dispatch personnel that you might have COVID-19 or are being evaluated for COVID-19 infection.

• Should I go to the emergency room if I'm sick?

  If you're sick, contact your primary care provider so we can determine the urgency of your situation. If you think you're experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

• I'm on the transplant waiting list. Should I get vaccinated?

  UCSF requires patients awaiting lung transplants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We also strongly encourage this for patients awaiting kidney, liver, pancreas 和 heart transplants. We updated these policies on May 11, 2023, in response to the end of the public health emergency 和 the availability of highly effective therapies for COVID-19.

• As someone who is immunosuppressed, how can I stay safe?

  We recommend that patients awaiting organ transplantation follow the recommendations for immunocompromised patients from the Centers for Disease Control 和 Prevention (CDC). Find guidance on how to protect yourself against COVID-19, what to do if you're exposed 和 what to do if you get sick.