Two Hospital Employees Test Positive for COVID-19

OMC’s employee health department began contact tracing after learning of the first case

In partnership with Clallam County Health & Human Services, Olympic Medical Center is actively investigating two positive cases of COVID-19 among employees. One of those cases is potentially tied to a community exposure. Both individuals are experiencing mild symptoms and feeling okay at this time.

According to Jennifer Burkhardt, chief human resources officer and general counsel, OMC’s employee health department began contact tracing after learning of the first case. More than a dozen employees and some providers were precluded from work on Monday and tested. One of those tests came back positive this morning and contact tracing continues. So far, no additional employees have needed to be precluded from the workplace.

Due to excellent Personal Protective Equipment usage in patient care, the risk of patient exposure during patient care is very low, add Burkhardt.

OMC is working with Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Unthank to establish the criteria for a mass testing event for employees as a precautionary measure. “We offer testing to all employees who have been identified through contact tracing as a matter of course,” says Burkhardt. “We do want our employees and patients to feel safe and we try to be liberal and reasonable in making testing available to additional employees who may not have had direct contact, but would feel more comfortable obtaining a test.”