Western Washington State COVID-19 Experience: Keys to Flattening the Curve and Effective Health System Response

Abstract

for the Western WA COVID-19 Expert Panel BACKGROUND: Washington State experienced the first major outbreak of COVID-19 in the US and despite a significant number of cases, has seen a relatively low death rate per million population compared with other states with major outbreaks, and has seen a substantial decrease in the projections for healthcare use, that is, "flattening the curve." This consensus report seeks to identify the key factors contributing to the effective health system disaster response in western WA. METHODS:A multidisciplinary, expert panel including individuals and organizations who were integral to managing the public health and emergency healthcare system response were engaged in a consensus process to identify the key themes and lessons learned and develop recommendations for ongoing management of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS:Six key themes were identified, including early communication and coordination among stakeholders; regional coordination of the healthcare system response; rapid development and access to viral testing; proactive management of long-term care and skilled nursing facilities; proactive management of vulnerable populations; and effective physical distancing in the community. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the lessons learned in each of the areas identified by the panel, 11 recommendations are provided to support the healthcare system disaster response in managing future outbreaks.

The Impact of Health Policies and Sociodemographic Factors on Doubling Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico

“…This sector of the population tends to be younger, which lowers the vulnerability to severe illness from COVID-19 [ 27 ], as well as generally being associated with rural areas of low population density. With regards to the policies that we documented, it was shown that the majority of states implemented measures of income support directed at this population with limited resources, which could partially explain a lower transmission velocity, although the effects of economic and social conditions on viral transmission velocity have not been established with certainty [ 28 ]. On the other hand, per capita income was also independently associated with slower infection rates.…”

Gambaran Pelaksanaan Deteksi Dini Dan Respon Pandemi Covid-19 Di Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Pamekasan

“…Seperti halnya yang dikemukakan pada penelitian Mitchell et al (2020), bahwa respon terhadap pandemi ini adalah komunikasi dan koordinasi diantara semua pemangku kepentingan. Penting untuk meningkatkan peran masing-masing sektor untuk melakukan pemantauan dan pengawasan berbasis populasi (Mitchell et al, 2020). Oleh karena itu, penguatan jejaring kerja perlu dilakukan agar penanganan COVID-19 termasuk pemantauan kasus dapat lebih terkoordinasi.…”

“…Menurut penelitian Djalante et al (2020), hal yang perlu dilakukan untuk menekan perkembangan virus adalah mengidentifikasi dan memetakan setiap orang yang terinfeksi dengan kontak dekat akan sangat membantu dalam pelacakan kontak. Respons yang efektif dimulai dengan pelaporan penyakit dan pemantauan wabah yang tersentralisasi (Mitchell et al, 2020). Menurut CDC, perlu dilakukan pelacakan kasus dan mengumpulkan informasi tentang penyakit dari sistem pengawasan yang melaporkan berbagai jenis data seperti informasi demografis (usia atau jenis kelamin) dan gejala (CDC, 2020).…”

Regional Teamwork Key to Successful COVID-19 Response

“…Mitchell and colleagues 1 present a succinct utilitarian playbook for successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little literature to draw on to inform a coherent response, and most of that is 100 years old, published during the last pandemic that equaled the scope and scale of this one.…”

“…The authors identified 6 themes as key factors in supporting healthcare system response to the pandemic. 1 1. Early communication and coordination among all stakeholders including public health, academia, hospital systems, emergency medical services, and long-term care facilities.…”