The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) developed this webpage to provide resources for health care facilities, including acute care hospitals, long-term, residential care facilities, and other settings where health care is being administered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the vulnerable nature of patients, the risk of exposure to health care workers, and the congregate nature of long-term care facilities, guidance for health care settings is often different from that of the general public.
CDC’s new COVID-19 Community Levels recommendations do not apply in health care settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Instead, health care settings should continue to use community transmission rates.
COVID-19 Information: Novel Coronavirus Outbreak, Department of Health Coronavirus Disease, CDC
Healthcare-Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance information: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requests
The state PPE supply continues to be available to support organizations in extraordinary circumstances such as when supplies are unavailable through regular supply chains, when shipping delays cause an insufficient level of PPE, and when urgent needs arise that cannot be addressed through other means. If an urgent needs exists, contact your local county emergency manager to determine how requests should be placed. They are able to answer questions about the request process.
Infection Prevention Materials for COVID-19
DOH is fully aligning with CDC COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for health care settings, including long-term care facilities. DOH’s Interim Recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Settings was retired April 3, 2023.
DOH created a SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care Settings Toolkit (PDF) with resources for health care and long-term care settings. This toolkit includes additional links and tools to assist with updating facility policies and procedures. DOH encourages facilities to follow CDC’s Infection Control guidelines and recommendations. The DOH toolkit provides supplementary resources to facilities following CDC recommendations.
If you have any questions, please contact us at HAI-COVID@doh.wa.gov.
- All Health Care Settings
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- Health Care Infection Prevention Guidance for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (CDC)
- Interim COVID-19 Outbreak Definition for Health Care Settings (PDF)
- Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Health Care Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Health Care Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) (CDC
- Washington State Vaccine Mandate FAQ
- Behavioral Health
- Home Health/Home Care Guidance
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- Home Health and Hospice Care Guidance (PDF)
- Checklist for In-Home Care Settings with Suspected or Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 (PDF)
- Home Health / Home Care Guidance - click to view all languages
- Long-Term Care Guidance
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PPE
Reporting
- CDC/NHSN LTCF COVID-19 Module page (nursing homes/skilled nursing, LTC for developmentally disabled - optional, and assisted living - optional)
- CMS COVID-19 NHSN Requirements for Nursing Homes (PDF)
Testing
- CMS QSO-20-38 NH – Long-Term Care Facility Testing Requirements (PDF)
- Nasopharyngeal (NP) Specimen Collection Instructions
- Self-Swab Mid-Turbinate Collection Instructions (PDF)
- Self-Swab Nasal Collection Instructions (PDF)
- Lab Testing and Cohorting Recommendations for Respiratory Outbreaks in Long-Term Care when COVID-19 and the Flu Co-Circulate (PDF)
Visiting
- Personal Protective Equipment
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- Donning and Doffing PPE (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)
- Glove and Other PPE Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration (PDF)
- Prioritization Guidelines for Allocation of Personal Protective Equipment when Supplies are Severely Limited (PDF)
- Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE (CDC)
- Secretary of Health Order – Face Coverings (PDF)
- Signage
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- Aerosol Precautions (PDF) - recommended for known and suspected COVID
- Aerosol Generating Procedure Door Sign (PDF)
- COVID-19 Announcement for Visitors (PDF)
- Additional languages (PDF): Chinese Simplified | Chinese Traditional | Korean | Russian | Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese
- Employee Callout Log (PDF) (Excel)
- Example Visitor Announcement (PDF)
- Long-Term Care Facilities Breakroom Safety Sign (PDF)
- Maximum Occupancy Sign (Word)
- Quarantine Sign (PDF) - recommended for exposed and newly admitted
- Dental