For healthcare and service providers

The Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization Section emails timely Health Advisories to those who subscribe to our Info-X Listserv. The listserv is a free service for King County health care providers. To be added to the list, visit this page.

• 2022 health care advisories and news
• 2021 health care advisories and news
  

• Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings, CDC
  Actions to consider as soon as you have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
  
  
• Guidance for solid waste and biomedical waste handling
  Guidance for health care facilities and solid waste handlers to differentiate waste streams that come into contact with COVID-19 patients in order to clearly identify which wastes are appropriate for the municipal waste streams and which wastes are identified as biomedical waste as defined in local, state, and federal regulations.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Prioritization and Distribution for COVID-19 in King County
  Public Health — Seattle & King County and King County Office of Emergency Management supports local government agencies; medical and care facilities; and other organizations within King County by procuring supplies, facilities, and personnel.
  
  

COVID-19 Emergency Resource Requests

Public Health Seattle & King County (PHSKC) and King County Office of Emergency Management (KCOEM) supports local government agencies; medical and care facilities; and other organizations within King County by procuring supplies, facilities, and personnel.

There are currently no restrictions on who can be tested for COVID-19 and commercial testing is becoming more available. Healthcare providers should test all patients with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 regardless of their age or health status and individuals who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

• COVID-19 Testing Information for Healthcare Providers, Washington State Dept. of Health
• Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019, CDC

Guidance for reporting and entering COVID-19 results

• Facilities administering point-of-care (POC) testing for COVID-19 must report all their COVID-19 testing results to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Please refer to guidance from DOH on reporting COVID-19 point-of-care test results.

• Overview of Washington State Request Process for COVID-19 Therapeutics (PDF) – Information for health care facilities interested in obtaining and administering monoclonal antibody therapy.
• CDC Recommendations for Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19 – A catalog of CDC guidance for management in healthcare settings. Topics include: General infection control, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and care for special populations.
• Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare personnel. View Public Health's statement.

Healthcare facilities are considered critical infrastructure and operate with extensive and close contact between patients and healthcare personnel. Healthcare personnel exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and without symptoms should follow CDC isolation and quarantine guidance for Work Restrictions for Healthcare Providers with SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Exposures. Interventions may vary depending on staffing capacity – check with your Employee Health representative.

Healthcare facilities should consider these alternatives to mitigate staffing and resource shortages. For facilities with critical need, asymptomatic exposed employees may continue to work under a working quarantine according to federal and state guidance as a last resort and only in limited circumstances, such as when stopping operations at a facility may cause serious harm or danger to public health or safety. Shortened or working quarantine options are not preferred as these options pose transmission risks to patients and other staff.

• For more information about work restrictions for healthcare settings, please refer to CDC’s guidance: Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure to COVID-19.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

• COVID-19 Outbreak Among Three Affiliated Homeless Service Sites — King County, Washington, 2020
  On April 1, 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak was detected at three affiliated homeless shelters. Testing for SARS-CoV-2 immediately offered to all residents and staff members identified additional unrecognized COVID-19 cases. Enhanced surveillance and repeat testing identified and confirmed COVID-19 in 43 persons at these sites.
  
  
• Asymptomatic and Presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Residents of a Long-Term Care Skilled Nursing Facility — King County, Washington, March 2020
  Symptom-based screening of SNF residents might fail to identify all SARS-CoV-2 infections. Asymptomatic and presymptomatic SNF residents might contribute to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Once a facility has confirmed a COVID-19 case, all residents should be cared for using CDC-recommended personal protective equipment (PPE), with considerations for extended use or reuse of PPE as needed.
  
  
• COVID-19 in a Long-Term Care Facility — King County, Washington, February 27–March 9, 2020
  Long-term care facilities should take proactive steps to protect the health of residents and preserve the health care workforce by identifying and excluding potentially infected staff members, restricting visitation except in compassionate care situations, ensuring early recognition of potentially infected patients, and implementing appropriate infection control measures.

PubMed

See list of abstracts cowritten by Public Health - Seattle & King County staff.