UW Medicine’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) reports on our ability to maintain normal operations using a scale from “monitoring” to “high level of activation” based on information about community transmission rates, hospital admissions, staffing capacity, space availability, PPE supplies and other impacts on the health system.
This update provides a quick look at some of the key data used by the EOC to determine UW Medicine’s current level of activation. For more detailed information, you can review the EOC’s situation status reports.
EOC Level of Activation
Jan. 21, 2022: EOC level of activation is high. COVID-19 patients represent 16.71% of hospital admissions. UW Medicine hospitals are caring for 188 patients with COVID-19. As of yesterday, 578 employees were on leave due to COVID-19 isolation and quarantine.
UW Medicine COVID-19 Inpatients
King County and Washington State Epidemiology
King County: Public Health – Seattle & King County is reporting 302,924 total confirmed cases and 2,274 deaths as of Jan. 21. The number of new positive tests is currently at 1,401.4/7 days/100,000 people (community transmission level = high).
Washington: The Department of Health reports 1,135,778 total cases and 10,339 deaths as of Jan. 19.
Employees Out of Office Due to COVID-19
EOC Priorities
- COVID-19 Return to Work Policy: Revised guidelines to better align with the latest CDC guidelines for healthcare workers, effective January 19.
- N95 Respirators: UW Medicine Supply Chain is increasing inventory to support masking guidelines in clinical care spaces; work is also underway to increase resources for fit testing.
- Visitor Policy: UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center are temporarily restricting all routine visitation in our hospitals as of January 13.
- Surgeries and Procedures: In alignment with Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency order, UW Medicine is postponing all outpatient and inpatient non-urgent surgeries and procedures through February 17.
- Telehealth: UW Medicine’s clinics are shifting as much care as possible to telehealth through January 31.
Stay Informed
Updates this week:
- Staffing During COVID-19 Surge; Updating Our Return-to-Work Policy (Jan. 19)
- Dr. John Lynch COVID-19 Update (Jan. 21)
In the Media:
- Get to know rapid tests before they arrive in the mail, Dr. Geoff Baird, Chair of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UW Medicine Newsroom
- Omicron hits Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center harder than other surges, Dr. John Lynch, Isabelle Norville, Jason Naki, NPR
Ongoing communications:
- Emergency Operations Updates: Scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays
- Dr. John Lynch COVID-19 Update: Scheduled for Thursdays
- Town Halls: Generally scheduled for 3 p.m. on Fridays; Check your email for updates (recordings available)
- Community Conversations: Check you email for dates and times (recordings available)
- EOC Situation Reports: Posted on the UW Medicine intranet (AMC login required)
- Leadership Messages and Employee Resources: Posted on The Huddle
Sincerely,
UW Medicine Leadership
