Updates for Providers of Long-Term Care Facilities and Homes
Tacoma Pierce County Health Department has released several updates for LTC facilities related to COVID outbreaks and vaccines, RSV vaccines, and preparing for the upcoming flu season.
Outbreak reporting updates for healthcare facilities
Healthcare facilities in Pierce County now have several ways to report COVID-19 outbreaks:
- Use the Facility Outbreak Notification Tool (FONT) for Healthcare Settings (preferred).
- Call our main communicable disease line at (253) 649-1412.
- Fax a Notifiable Condition Report Form to (253) 649-1389.
All healthcare facilities—including acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities (LTCs), outpatient healthcare services and others—should report outbreaks.
When?
Healthcare facilities should notify the Health Department when they have a suspected or confirmed outbreak of:
- COVID-19.
- Influenza.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
- Stomach illness.
- Undiagnosed respiratory illness at their facility.
We need:
- Name of your facility.
- Date of first and most recent illness onset.
- Number of cases among staff, patients and/or residents.
- Whether or not you need support.
If your facility uses point-of-care testing, include a line list of positive cases that includes name, date of birth, date of test.
If your facility reports these results to us, you do not need to submit them to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Facilities do not need to send a line list if they are using a commercial laboratory for testing.
Questions? Contact Elle Cooper.
Be prepared for respiratory illness season
Getting immunized is an essential strategy for reducing the risk of respiratory viruses. By getting the recommended vaccines for the Flu, COVID-19, and RSV, you can help protect staff, long-term care clients, and families. When LTC staff members are vaccinated, they protect themselves and others. Older adults, as well as those with disabilities or weakened immune systems, are at higher risk of severe illness and death from these viruses.
Contact us if you need assistance finding a vaccine partner for your facility and receive other pharmacy services. Check out our list of pharmacies with LTC services.
Resources from CDC
- COVID-19 vaccination.
- Vaccine Recommendations.
- Flu vaccine.
- Why it’s important for healthcare workers to get vaccinated.
For Immunization Managers and Infection Preventionists
CDC VaxView pages offer the latest updates on vaccination coverage and trends to help prepare for vaccine-preventable disease cases and outbreaks.
- AdultVaxView | Nursing Home Reports | Vaccination Coverage.
- GISVaxView.
- RespVaxView.
- RSVVaxView. Click on adults 65+ to see current RSV vaccine coverage rates.
DOH LTC and Adult Immunization Listserv
Sign up to stay up to date with the latest vaccine news and updates from DOH.
COVID-19 test kits
We have a limited supply of over-the-counter test kits available for your facility to order via [email protected]. We encourage LTC providers to be prepared for emergencies or outbreaks; LTCs are responsible to secure PPE and set up partnerships with medical suppliers. Check out our Testing Information webpage for free test kit locations and additional information.
Questions? Contact our team at [email protected].
