COVID-19 Information

How do I get a COVID-19 vaccination or new bivalent booster?

Patients, 12 years and older, can receive a COVID vaccination or booster during an appointment with their primary care provider or schedule one with a local pharmacy.
Patients, ages 6 months to 11 years, can be vaccinated by appointment in our Pediatrics department by calling 603-354-6666. Learn more about vaccination clinics at cheshiremed.org/vaccine
All community members can schedule a shot at a local pharmacy.

I need a COVID-19 test. What do I do?

Schedule a PCR test at Cheshire Medical Center via.myDH.
Purchase at-home COVID test kits at a local retail pharmacy or online from stores such as Walmart.com. Rapid at-home tests are frequently wrong when they are "negative"—learn when and how to best use at-home rapid antigen tests.
Please DO NOT go to the Emergency Department or call Cheshire Medical Center for a COVID test.
Learn more on our COVID-19 Testing page.

I tested positive, or I’m concerned that I have COVID-19. What should I do?

If you’re experiencing possible COVID-19 or flu symptoms, please assume it’s COVID-19 and take necessary precautions. Stay home except to get a test.

DO NOT go to the Emergency Department unless you are experiencing a medical emergency. Most people with COVID-19 or flu have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care, and few need emergency care.
Read NH DHHS' guidance on quarantine, isolation and household contact exposure at www.covid19.nh.gov
Get plenty of rest and stay well hydrated.
Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.
Call your primary care provider if your symptoms are worsening.
Call Cheshire’s Urgent Primary Care Visits at 603-354-5484 if you feel your symptoms are not life-threatening but require urgent treatment.
Be sure to get care or call 9-1-1 if you have severe difficulty breathing, have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is a medical emergency.

What if I need medical care and I may have COVID-19?

If you already have a scheduled appointment, call your provider's office to schedule a virtual visit or reschedule.
Read our COVID Testing FAQ to get a test. PCR tests at Cheshire do NOT include a medical evaluation. Learn when and how to best use at-home rapid antigen tests.
For medical evaluation and care for possible COVID-19 symptoms, call your Primary Care team at Cheshire. Call 2-1-1 if you do not have a primary care provider or use the CDC's COVID-19 self-checker.
For Urgent Primary Care Visits, including urgent virtual visits call 603-354-5484.
If you have a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19, your provider may recommend outpatient treatment.

Why are vaccination and boosters important?

Fully vaccinated individuals are much less likely to

get sick from COVID-19 with symptoms
become severely ill and need hospitalization due to COVID-19 and related complications
die from COVID-19 or related complications
spread the virus to other people because they are not sick for as long and are less infectious
possibly develop "Long COVID" or Post Acute COVID Syndrome (PACS)—more data is needed to be conclusive

Fully vaccinated people who become ill enough to be hospitalized are usually in very poor health or taking medicines that suppress their immune systems. Vaccinated people who are hospitalized also rarely need the highest levels of care.

Since the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time (just like many your received in childhood), boosters are important in maintaining a strong immune response against COVID-19, especially newer variants.

Vaccinating as many people as possible in our community still reduces the spread of the virus significantly, therefore helping to protect those who do not have strong immune systems.

Learn more on our COVID-19 Vaccination page.

Why aren't Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19?

There is no evidence to suggest benefits from Ivermectin or Hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. Each medication has been studied recently in the context of treating COVID-19 and the resulting data did not show any benefit.

The concern is actually the opposite—the FDA has issued warnings against using either of these agents because of potentially dangerous side effects. When taken inappropriately, a patient could suffer potential cardiac, neurological, and other side effects from drug interactions that may prove to be fatal.

Prescribers need to adhere to guidelines issued by NIHand IDSA–credible sources for information related to managing patients with COVID-19. Anecdotal benefits should not drive a trend and using these drugs to treat COVID-19 in the absence of supporting data could cause much more harm than good.

Learn about authorized outpatient treatments for COVID-19.

GET THE FACTS AND COMBAT MISCONCEPTIONS: Misconceptions and false rumors about COVID-19 and vaccinations are common. Stay alert, ask good questions, and check the facts. View Factcheck.org's COVID-19 and Vaccination page.

Additional questions and references

Call 2-1-1 in New Hampshire with COVID-19 questions. COVID-19-specific call-takers available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

State Department of Health

Please reference the State Department of Health for the state in which you reside for the latest local/state-related information.

New Hampshire or call 2-1-1 (in New Hampshire)
Vermont or call 802-863-7240

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers leading information about the U.S. response and guidance centered on COVID-19. Topics include:

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics Patient Education

Maps

Situation maps are available from many resources. We recommend the World Health Organization situation or Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center status map: