Latest Updates
on COVID-19

There are a variety of resources available to help you obtain a vaccine.

• Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination provider near you.
• Text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccine locations near you in the United States.

All Missouri and Kansas residents 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and children aged 12 to 15 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Visit vaccines.gov to find a vaccination provider near you, or text your zip code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccine locations near you.

After conducting a thorough assessment, at this time we do not plan to become a vaccination site. Spira Care will continue to focus on the best ways to service members to meet their healthcare needs, which includes continuing to monitor and provide updated information from the CDC, County Health Departments and other community resources regarding COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and available resources. Spira Care Guides are available to help members navigate COVID-19 vaccine options at 913-29-SPIRA (77472). Spira Care will continue to explore the possibility of becoming a vaccination site in the future.

Yes. Rigorous clinical trials and safety monitoring systems have proven that there are no safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available. Learn how CDC is ensuring the safety of vaccines here.

It is common and normal to have some side effects after receiving the vaccine. The side effects include pain and swelling around the injection site, fever, chills, tiredness and headache. If your side effects do not improve after a few days or you are concerned about the side effects you’re experiencing, call our office at 913-29-SPIRA (77472).

Per CDC, vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers can charge an administration fee for giving someone the shot. Vaccination providers can be reimbursed for this by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund. No one can be denied a vaccine if they are unable to pay the vaccine administration fee.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that a small number of individuals who have been fully vaccinated are presenting with being diagnosed with Covid following positive test results. Sometimes these Covid + individuals are demonstrating classic Covid symptoms, while in other cases individuals are asymptomatic. These Covid cases are called “vaccine breakthrough cases”. Learn more about breakthrough infections here. Find out how to protect yourself against COVID-19 once you are fully vaccinated here.

Per the CDC, fully vaccinated people should wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of an of substantial or high transmission to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent spreading it to others. Find the CDC’s full guidelines for fully vaccinated people here. Please note that the Kansas City metro area (and much of Missouri) is considered a “hotspot” in the United States at this time

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases (for example, SARS is a coronavirus). This novel (or new) coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a strain that has not been previously identified in humans. You may see “coronavirus” and “COVID-19” used interchangeably in news reports.

• Check the CDC website for up-to-date information.
  • Visit the CDC Travel page for travel-related updates.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a face mask when around others unless you are fully vaccinated. Spira Care physician Dr. Marla McLaughlin teamed up with Comeback KC to explain why. Watch to learn more.
• Cover your mouth.
• Wash your hands.
• Disinfect surfaces you use (kitchen and bathroom counters, tables, drawers, etc.).
• Monitor your and your family's symptoms. If anything changes, call 913-29-SPIRA (77472) to speak to a triage nurse.

Refer to the COVID-19 Advice for Caregivers guide to learn more.

Do not postpone necessary care. We are here for your primary and behavioral health care needs including preventive, wellness, routine and follow-up appointments. Simply call 913-29-SPIRA (77472). Our Care Teams have a variety of ways to see members – including in person, by phone or through a video visit. Give us a call so we can discuss your care need and what type of appointment would work best. Click here to learn about the protocols and procedures we’ve implemented to ensure your safety when visiting a Care Center.

Due to COVID-19, we’ve suspended the ability to schedule an appointment online.

Isolation is reserved for people who are ill. Isolation separates sick people with a contagious illness from people who are healthy. Quarantine is reserved for people who have been exposed but who are not ill. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

You must be seen by a Spira Care provider (in-person, virtual visit) to inquire about a provider note, however it is up to the provider on if a note is needed and is not guaranteed.

You must be seen by a Spira Care provider (in-person, virtual visit) to inquire about a provider note. The provider would have to confirm an underlying condition and it is up to the provider on if a note is needed and is not guaranteed.

At Spira Care: At Spira Care our Care Teams have a variety of ways to see members with care needs (both medical and behavioral health) during this time and we are here to help you – we ask that you call 913-29-SPIRA (77472), so we can discuss appropriate care and appointment options (in-person, phone or video visits).

Blue KC Virtual Care: You can also access a video (face-to-face) visit right from your smartphone, tablet or computer with a virtual care doctor who is trained to evaluate for COVID-19. Both urgent care visits and behavioral health therapy visits provided in the Blue KC Virtual Care app are at no cost until January 20, 2021. Download the app on the Apple App Store and Google Play or go to www.BlueKCVirtualCare.com. With increased use of virtual care, please understand the wait time may be longer.

In-Network Virtual Care: In addition, until January 20, 2021, you (Spira Care and Spira Care HSA Eligible members) can see in-network providers, at no cost for virtual (face-to-face), telephone, email or text visits for medical services or behavioral health therapy. Cost sharing, such as deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance, still applies to physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

Cost sharing, such as deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance, still applies to physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

We know the COVID-19 situation changes rapidly. We continually update this page as it relates to Spira Care and changes to our operating procedures, what to do if you feel sick and more. Please check back regularly.

Blue KC COVID-19 Update
Step-by-step for virtual care, FAQs, cost for COVID-19 testing, medication refills and more.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The latest updates, resources for our community and more.

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19 (only one symptom is needed to be considered symptomatic).

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Visit the CDC website for updates.

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (mild or severe) call 913-29-SPIRA (77472) to speak with a triage nurse. We have a dedicated team to assist members with their COVID-19 care needs and questions. The nurse will talk with you about your symptoms and discuss next steps including a telehealth appointment with a provider and/or testing options.

There are multiple tests available. Your provider will determine which test will work best for you based on your symptoms and need.

Information is changing by the hour and science is evolving daily to bring us a better understanding of the behavior of this virus, how we can most effectively test for it and react to the results of those tests. Here is a helpful breakdown of current terms and information related to COVID-19 testing: Diagnostic testing for COVID-19 is intended to identify current infection in individuals and is performed when a person has signs or symptoms of COVID-19, or when a person is asymptomatic but has recent known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. Diagnostic tests are medically necessary to guide clinical decision-making for individuals. Current diagnostic tests are PCR tests or antigen tests—find more information about testing types in the question below on this page.

Public health screening for COVID-19 is intended to identify infected people who are not showing symptoms and don’t know or think they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Public health screenings are performed to identify people who may be contagious so that measures can be taken to prevent further transmission. Scientists are still studying which type of COVID-19 test is most appropriate as a public health screening. Public health departments are charged with making this decision for their respective communities.

• Find more information from the CDC.
• Learn more about public health testing in our area in the question below on this page.

The positivity rate is increasingly being used as a marker to guide community decisions like school openings. The positivity rate is defined as the percentage of COVID-19 tests performed that are positive in each population. Many public health experts believe that our communities should aim for a positivity rate of 5 percent in order to consider resuming “normal” activity. The positivity rate gives us an idea of how well we are controlling the spread of the virus AND how many people are being tested.

Testing accuracy is also important to consider. COVID-19 testing results are not 100 percent accurate and there are many false negative test results—meaning you may get a negative result when you do, in fact, have COVID-19. False negative test results are especially common with antigen testing, though this testing option is increasingly being used by healthcare providers because of its results can be determined more quickly. To make matters even more complicated, the accuracy of COVID-19 test results is impacted by when in the course of a person’s illness or exposure the test is performed—for example, PCR tests appear to be most accurate 5-7 days after exposure.

Symptoms may help guide your doctor’s recommendations more than test results due to questions of testing accuracy. For example, when flu season arrives each year and patients show key symptoms of influenza, medical providers are likely to treat the illness as the flu, regardless of the results of the flu test—the same is true with COVID-19.

Testing capacity is something we continue to focus on as well. At any given time, our communities have different capacity to conduct an appropriate number of diagnostic and public health screening tests to properly manage the pandemic. In an ideal scenario, testing would be available for all members of a community on a regular basis, offering the ability to identify those who should isolate from others to prevent transmission of the virus. In the absence of an ideal testing scenario, the importance of social distancing and wearing masks cannot be over-emphasized.

Ask your provider when talking about your symptoms and testing options.

If you fall into one of the categories listed below, call 913-29-SPIRA (77472) to speak with a triage nurse. We have a dedicated team to assist members with their COVID-19 care needs and questions. The nurse will talk with you about your symptoms and discuss next steps including a telehealth appointment with a provider and testing options. If the provider determines testing is necessary, they will work with you on appropriate testing options at the Care Center (drive-up, in-person, pick-up).

COVID-19 tests are covered by Blue KC with no cost share if your healthcare provider orders the test. Learn more here.

• You are symptomatic (showing symptoms) and high risk
• You are symptomatic (showing symptoms) and not high risk
• You are asymptomatic (not showing symptoms) with known or suspected COVID-19 exposure

We do not conduct testing if you are asymptomatic (not showing symptoms) with no known or suspected exposure.

Testing accuracy is also important to consider. COVID-19 testing results are not 100 percent accurate. Therefore, we are aligned with the CDC recommendation to return to normal day activities based on symptoms instead of using test results only to guide your treatment plan. You should stay home until three things have happened: 1) at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared; 2) you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and; 3) all symptoms have improved.

COVID-19 tests performed at a Spira Care center are covered by Blue KC at no cost to the member.

You have a variety of in-network options if you’re interested in receiving a COVID-19 test outside of a Spira Care center. The following locations work with your plan, meaning you won’t have to pay out of pocket to receive a test (please note that testing sites not included below may require you to pay higher out of pocket fees and submit a claim for reimbursement):

• Your Local County Health Department
• LabCorp and Quest diagnostic testing centers
• CVS and Walgreens pharmacies
• The pixel by LabCorp at home testing kit

If you have questions about COVID-19 or testing, please contact your primary care provider.

Some local public health departments offer COVID-19 testing to their residents whether or not they are showing COVID-19 symptoms. Check with your county health officials to learn more about public health testing they may be current offering. Follow these links to find additional information about what specific counties and areas around Kansas City are doing:

• Clay County Public Health Center
• Platte County Health Department
• Jackson County Health Department
• Johnson County (KS) Department of Health and Environment
• Wyandotte County Health Department
• Cass County Health Department

Remember COVID-19 testing does not change the treatment plan.

• If you have COVID-19 symptoms (like fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell) you should stay home and separate yourself from others in your house.
• If you think you are sick or think you have been exposed to COVID-19, call Spira Care and talk with our dedicated team to field your COVID-19 questions.
• If you are sick and need an appointment, please call to talk with our dedicated team to answer your COVID-19 questions. We will work with you to schedule an appointment and prepare for your arrival.
• We recommend that anyone who has symptoms, regardless of testing, not return to normal day activities and stay home until three things have happened: 1) at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared; 2) you have had no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and; 3) all symptoms have improved.

COVID-19 test results are not 100 percent accurate and there are many false negative test results—meaning you may get a negative result when you do, in fact, have COVID-19. Therefore it is important that you visit with your provider about if you should isolate or quarantine based on your test result and symptoms.