VA San Diego Healthcare System

Situation Update

As of Friday, April 3, 2020 4:18 PM PDT

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update 4/3/2020

To our Veteran patients:

Consistent with guidance from California and San Diego Public Health authorities, beginning Monday, April 6, we are encouraging all patients entering our facilities to wear face coverings to help reduce the asymptomatic transmission of coronavirus. If you have a personal mask, bandana, or other face covering, please bring it to your visit and wear it within the facility or clinic.

Please be aware that we are not allowing visitors to our facilities and ask all patients to call in advance of a visit to see if we can provide your healthcare without a face to face visit. Non-urgent care is being rescheduled to the extent possible.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update 3/17/2020

To our Veteran patients:

VA San Diego Healthcare System is closely monitoring the emerging coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as well as recently announced regional school closures and Public Health Orders. We are making adjustments to ensure we are prepared to care for our patients with the most urgent needs as well as to facilitate social distancing and limit possible exposures to Veterans. For this reason, we have made the decision to identify non-urgent medical care and procedures that may be safely postponed for a later time. If your procedure or visit is being considered for postponement, a VA staff member will contact you, make sure your immediate needs are met, and will work to reschedule for an appropriate future date.  We are also asking our providers to use telehealth visits or phone visits as an alternative to in-person visits.

If you have any questions, please call the Patient Care Call Center, (858) 552-7475, or contact your health care provider for more information.

Effective immediately, visitors are not permitted at VA San Diego Healthcare System facilities. Patients who need assistance at a visit are asked to limit attendants to one adult caregiver, escort, or aide to accompany them to their appointments or provide transportation. 

We are actively screening for symptoms and fever at the entrances to our medical center and clinics to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Please arrive early so you can make your appointment on time.

We ask for your understanding and apologize for this inconvenience, and thank you for your patience.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update 3/09/2020

To our Veteran patients:

If you feel you may have symptoms of the new coronavirus, COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing), particularly if you have recently traveled outside the U.S., please do the following:

• Call the VA 24-hour Nurse Advice line* at 877-252-4866 for screening and referral for care (* this line is only for VISN 22 facilities in Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico). If you are not referred for care at a medical facility, stay home if you are sick or becoming sick.
• As with any severe illness, if you need emergency care, go to your closest Emergency Department.

For more information about COVID-19, please see visit https://www.va.gov/coronavirus/.