COVID-19 Testing Clinic for UW Medicine employees
We are excited to announce the opening of a COVID-19 testing clinic for UW Medicine employees. The goals of this clinic are to support our employees while simultaneously keeping our clinics and hospitals safe for patients. While this clinic is currently located at UW Medical Center – Northwest, this is a shared resource across all UW Medicine entities. There is no cost for this screening.
Please note that our capacity for testing is LIMITED and there is NO role for testing asymptomatic staff at this time. Priority will be given to clinical staff with significant symptoms or direct exposure to known COVID-19 patients.
Who is eligible?
• Employees calling out sick because of fever (Temperature ≥ 101F), new uncontrolled cough or new shortness of breath.
What will we be testing?
• We will be testing nasal swabs for influenza/RSV and COVID-19.
Is testing mandatory?
• No.
• Regardless of testing, it is the UW Medicine expectation that employees who are ill remain home for at least 24 hours after their symptoms have resolved.
Is testing confidential?
• Your manager will be alerted to a pending test and your timeframe for returning to work once results have returned.
How long does testing take?
• Turnaround time for COVID-19 testing is evolving, and employees should be prepared to wait several days or more for test results in some circumstances.
• Testing for Flu/RSV is generally available same day.
• Employees with pending tests are expected to remain home.
I’m sick and meet the testing criteria above; how do I contact the clinic?
• Fill out the survey. The survey will ask for your employee identification number. It is on the back of you ID badge or you can find it in WorkDay.
• Employee Health will contact you for an appointment on the UW Medical Center – Northwest campus; they will tell you where to go.
• Please note, all testing is done by appointment only; no walk-ins will be accepted.
What if I test positive?
• Public Health will be notified about employees who test positive per infectious disease reporting guidelines.
• Depending on your symptoms and living situation, if you test positive for COVID-19, you will be asked to self–isolate for the duration of illness and until you test negative. It is possible that staff in communal living may be quarantined elsewhere by Public Health.
• Employees will be expected to follow current sick leave policy from their department and HR.
We realize this may be a stressful time for our staff and are committed to supporting the health of our UW Medicine community. If you have any questions, please contact Employee Health at your organization.
