COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Health Care Settings

On March 1, 2024 CDC updated guidance on how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses. This webpage is currently being reviewed in response to the updated CDC guidance.

Healthcare settings, including skilled nursing facilities, should continue to follow COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Health Care Settings.

In general, infection prevention guidance for residential care settings, whose staff provide non-skilled personal care, supports following standard community prevention strategies for respiratory viruses. DOH encourages residential care settings (such as adult family homes, assisted living facilities, supported living, and enhanced services facilities) to follow the DOH guidance for what to do if someone has COVID-19 or another respiratory virus. DOH’s guidance encompasses the CDC community guidance that residential care settings follow, as well as providing some additional protections. Residential care settings include adult family homes, assisted living facilities, supported living, and enhanced services facilities.

The care provided across different residential care settings and resident risk factors may vary significantly, these communities are encouraged to assess their risk factors in making decisions about whether they follow healthcare IPC guidance or community guidance for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Visiting or shared healthcare personnel providing healthcare to residents should follow healthcare guidance.

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@doh.wa.gov.

All Health Care Settings

Home Health/Home Care Guidance

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Long-Term Care Guidance