Health Advisory: COVID-19 Updates for Providers

| August 12, 2020

Published Aug. 11, 2020.

Requested actions

Background

Washington State Board of Health adopted an emergency rule on COVID-19 notification and reporting.

The emergency rule (WAC 246-101-017, WSR 20-16-121):

  • Explicitly designates Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), also known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), as a notifiable condition.
  • Requires healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, labs and local health jurisdictions to report race, ethnicity, preferred language and other essential information for cases or suspected cases of COVID-19.

Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will update its systems and provide additional information in coming weeks.

For more information on the emergency rule contact Kaitlyn Donahoe, Policy Advisor for Washington State Board of Health, at (360) 584-6737.

DSHS released a new Safe Start for Long-Term Care Plan. A summary is available.

Facilities and agencies must meet all DSHS criteria to advance to less restrictive phases.

Each facility’s phase status is based on the general Safe Start plan but takes additional factors into account. Those additional factors include local virus activity, facility access to testing and personal protective equipment, and virus activity within the facility.

  • Facilities will be held to Phase 1 if the local COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 residents exceeds 75.
  • To reach Phase 2, the local COVID-19 case rate threshold is 25-75 per 100,000 residents. 28 days must have passed since the last positive or suspected client was identified within the facility. Adequate staffing, PPE, cleaning supplies, local hospital capacity are also required.
  • To reach Phase 3, the local COVID-19 case rate threshold is 10-25 per 100,000 residents. 28 days must have passed since the last positive or suspected client was identified within the facility. Adequate staffing, PPE, cleaning supplies, local hospital capacity are also required.
  • To reach Phase 4, the local COVID-19 case rate must not exceed 10 per 100,000 residents. 28 days must have passed since the last positive or suspected client was identified within the facility. Adequate staffing, PPE, cleaning supplies, local hospital capacity are also required.
  • Facilities may not move beyond their county’s Safe Start Phase.

Additional resources

COVID-19 test processing

Labs need different amounts of time to process COVID-19 tests. We encourage providers to use in-state labs. Current processing times for in-state private labs:

Lab Time to process test Tests processed daily
Quest 24-48 hours 750-1000
LabCorp 48 hours-4 days 130,000 nationally
Northwest Pathology 24-48 hours 10,000-40,000
FidaLab Monday-Thursday: 24 hours, Friday-Saturday: 72 hours 300-600
Kaiser 48 hours 800

 

Immediately report COVID-19

  • To report a notifiable condition, call (360) 414-5599 x 6431 during business hours, (360) 636-9595 after hours or use the Reportable Disease Fax Form.
  • Cases in the following people—call (360) 414-5599 x 6431
    • Healthcare workers (e.g., EMS, medical, nursing, any healthcare facility employee).
    • Public safety workers (e.g., law enforcement, firefighter).
    • Staff or resident of long-term care facilities, senior living centers, permanent supportive housing or similar congregate settings (e.g., shelter, correctional facility).
    • Anyone who dies with COVID-19.
    • Anyone with suspected MIS-C.

Patient communication

Share these materials with patients.

Additional resources