Dear Patients,
Your health and safety remains our top priority. With a rise in local COVID-19 cases leading to Purple Tier restrictions and the arrival of cold and flu season, we want to update you on our policies. We also want to update you on the latest on COVID-19 vaccine developments.
What's New
Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, in line with the Travel Advisory issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, we are requiring a 14 day self-quarantine before anyone comes into our office who meet following criteria:
- Travel to destinations outside of California
- Travel via commercial airplanes or trains
- Travel on a cruise ship or river boat
- Attend a gathering or crowded event, such as a wedding, funeral, party, concert, or parade, with individuals outside of your household
To provide the highest quality of care, and limit exposure to the virus transmission, we continue to enforce our COVID19 Safety Policy:
- You must complete a COVID-19 risk screening questionnaire before each appointment.
- Masks are mandatory at ALL times while in the office for patients and staff.
- Temperature checks upon arrival.
- Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces.
- Telehealth visits in place of in-person appointments wherever possible.
- Enforce physical distancing of 6 feet for patients and limit the number of patients scheduled to arrive in the office.
- No partners and/or family members or friends allowed at any appointments.
- Treatment cycle cancellations are possible if a patient becomes ill, shows symptoms consistent with COVID-19, fevers, tests positive for COVID-19, or we encounter regulations recommended by the CDPH, CDC, American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and/or any governmental agencies that are beyond our control.
- For those patients concerned about risks of cancellation during their ovarian stimulation or Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) cycles, we encourage you to proceed with COVID-19 testing PRIOR to initiating treatment. For all patients undergoing IVF, egg freezing, embryo banking or FET, OC Fertility performs testing during the middle of the treatment cycle.
- Any patient who develops a positive COVID-19 test—or symptoms of COVID-19—will be required to halt treatment of any kind until the appropriate quarantine requirements set by the CDPH, CDC, and/or ASRM are met.
- We recognize that testing alone is not the most accurate way of preventing exposure of COVID-19, which is why we recommend ALL patients proceed with diligent mask wearing, hand washing, and maintaining social distancing while avoiding large gatherings.
Testing Services
At this time, Orange County Fertility advises patients to use the viral COVID-19 PCR for testing ("swab" test) and NOT the antibody test.
In addition to our clinic, the following facilities may be able to accommodate your COVID-19 PCR testing needs:
Vaccines
It is unclear if pregnant women (or anticipated impending pregnancy) will be candidates for the COVID-19 vaccines in development.
Until more data is available on pregnant women included in vaccine trials, we do not recommend the vaccine for our pregnant patients in the first trimester at this time. However emerging data may change these recommendations.
We recommend speaking to your OB/GYNs regarding potential vaccine administration throughout the remainder of your pregnancy.
Support Resources and Services
In addition to OC Fertility and your primary care doctor, the following are reliable and accurate sources of information:
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - World Health Organization (WHO)
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) COVID-19 online education
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 information and resources
- California Department of Public Health State COVID-19 resources
- Orange County Health Care Agency COVID-19 Local Resources
- Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) COVID-19 Resources
- Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction CNN Podcast featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Questions
Please continue to check this page for updates and contact us immediately with any questions or concerns.
As always, our mission is Growing Families, Together safely, through this challenging time. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping keep our office safe!
Warmly,
The OC Fertility Team
