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King County (Wash.) shares EMS resources for COVID-19

Resources include PPE donning and doffing videos, infection control and return-to-work guidelines

By Kerri Hatt

KING COUNTY, Wash. — King County Emergency Medical Services has compiled a list of online resources for emergency responders seeking information on how to respond to COVID-19 in the prehospital setting.

The resources include the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Interim Infection Control Guidance for Prehospital Washington Emergency Medical Services, as well as videos on donning and doffing PPE and proper handwashing techniques, and a presentation by Michael Sayre, MD; and Tom Rea, MD

They are hosted on EMS Online, a continuing education resource developed through a collaborative effort of King County EMS, Seattle Medic One, Seattle Fire Department, University of Washington School of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center and Medic One Foundation.

https://twitter.com/CatherineCounts/status/1238159864800542720 https://twitter.com/SayreMR/status/1238231640712724480

Seattle Fire Department Medical Director Michael Sayre, MD, tweeted, “Specific impacts will include EMS workers in quarantine and not working, EMS workers getting ill from exposure outside of work, no ED capacity to take patients, no PPE available, and more.”

Resources for responding to COVID-19 positive patients, the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 Interim Infection Control guidelines and return-to-work guidelines can be found below. Find all of the King County resources here.

Exposure to Covid-19

https://www.emsonline.net/assets/2020-Announcements/3-16-20-COVID-19-WADOH-EMSAfterCare-PossibleExposure.pdf


Return to work guidelines after a COVID-19 diagnosis

https://www.emsonline.net/assets/2020-Announcements/COVID-19-Return-to-Work-KCEMS-3-15-2020.pdf