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. 25, 2022: EOC level of activation is high. COVID-19 patients represent 15.61% of hospital admissions. UW Medicine hospitals are caring for 180 patients with COVID-19. As of yesterday, 387 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 319,373 total cases and 2,299 deaths as of Jan. 25. The number of new positive tests is currently at 967.8/7 days/100,000 people (community transmission level = high).
Washington: The Department of Health reports 1,203,311 total cases and 10,458 deaths as of Jan. 23.
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:
- Riding the wave of Omicron cases (Jan. 24)
- UW Medicine Town Hall Recording (Jan. 21)
In the Media:
- Making the case on social media for vaccination, Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, UW Medicine Newsroom
- King County hospitals issue urgent call to action, Dr. Paul Ramsey, UW Medicine Newsroom
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
