Coronavirus updates: Washington seeks to fill personal protective equipment shortages

Mar. 22--Updated at 8 a.m.

The state of Washington is seeking to fill shortages of specific personal protective equipment and infection-control products.

The Department of Enterprise Services is seeking the following equipment: Disposable gowns, coveralls, N95 masks, surgical procedure masks, face shields, gloves, powered air purifying respirators, PAPR hoods, PAPR filters, comfort strips (Max Ari 2000-201), li-ion battery, small (Max Air 200-36T), impermeable barriers, sanitizing/disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer bottles, hand sanitizer refills, cleaning solution spray, digital thermometers (forehead), disposable thermometers and disposable stethoscopes.

If you have any of the specified products in stock, please fill out this form and return it to DESContractsStrategy@des.wa.gov. To arrange bulk donations of specified items, please fill out this form and send it to PPEDonation@des.wa.gov.

Department of Health releases PPE distribution guidelines

The Washington State Department of Heath has released guidelines on how personal protective equipment (PPE) will be allocated to counties with the greatest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The DOH guidance will help counties determine how to distribute PPE to their facilities.

The DOH Secretary of Health, State Health Officer, or Unified Command may modify the criteria based on emerging response needs. The tiers are as follows:

-- First tier: Long-term care facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitals with the greatest number of confirmed cases, emergency medical services, first responders who are asked to transport confirmed patients and health care workers supporting long-term care facilities with confirmed cases.

-- Second tier: Health care facilities with fewer confirmed cases, congregate locations with confirmed cases (such as jails, shelters or dormitories), other EMS services and Department of Health-run isolation and quarantine facilities.

-- Third tier: Quarantine and isolation facilities run by other jurisdictions, followed by skilled nursing facilities, other health care facilities and outpatient facilities.

-- Fourth tier: Homeless shelters and other congregate locations and family members of confirmed cases who are at home.

The prioritization of N95 respirators (masks) are only distributed to facilities in the first tier and are only distributed at the highest priority to locations that perform aerosol-generating procedures.

Sandstone Distillery using equipment to make hand sanitizer

Updated at 8 a.m.

Sandstone Distillery in Tenino began using its equipment to make hand sanitizer early last week in response to the widespread shortage of the valuable substance due to the coronavirus crisis.

Manager Justin Bourdon said he and his parents have been able to distill 190-proof alcohol from byproducts of the liquor-distilling process and cases of wine donated by Olympia's Fish Tale Brewpub. Glycerine purchased on Amazon and bottles of hydrogen peroxide bought locally will be combined to supply area hospitals and first responders while their suppliers catch up to the rampant demand for germ killers.

Residents will have their chance to pick up or refill small bottles of sanitizer as early as this coming week, Bourdon said, depending on how quickly shipments of needed materials arrive. Only small bottles will be handed out or filled to supply as many people as possible.

McMenamins announces online gift shop, wine options

Updated at 8 a.m.

McMenamins, a regional entertainment-restaurant-brewpub-hotel chain, announced Friday it still is operating its online gift store as well as an online wine shop out of its Edgefield winery in Troutdale, Oregon.

Earlier this week, McMenamins announced massive temporary layoffs of workers at its Washington and Oregon sites as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Its locations include Tacoma's Elks Temple and The Spar in Olympia.

McMenamins' hotels in Oregon are closed through April 16, while its Washington sites are closed at least through March 30. For those with questions about hotel reservations, email hotels@mcmenamins.com.

Target apologizes for selling face masks amid shortage

Updated at 8 a.m.

Target Corp. apologized Saturday for selling face masks in Seattle stores while hospitals face a dire shortage amid a growing coronavirus outbreak.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said his office intervened when it received reports Saturday that the much-needed N95 masks were on Target shelves. Target said on Twitter that the masks were being sold in error in "select Seattle stores" and that it was removing them from shelves and donating them to the Washington Department of Health.

The company said it would also search its inventory for additional masks to donate. Hospitals have run so short of the masks and other personal protection equipment that they've had to ration them

Coronavirus testing for high-risk patients, critical service providers expanding in Pierce County

Coronavirus testing is becoming more available in Pierce County for people who meet certain criteria, including health care workers showing COVID-19 symptoms. The CHI Franciscan health system now can test for coronavirus at its triage centers across the region, and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Friday drive-thru testing for high-risk patients to begin Saturday.

Health care officials ask people who believe they have the virus to first set up a virtual appointment or call their health care provider.

The health department will operate a testing site near the Tacoma Dome for people who are showing symptoms and are at high-risk for complications or work in occupations that provide "critical services." It is not for the general public.

To qualify for a test people must:

-- Work in health care.

-- Work in public safety jobs like law enforcement, firefighting or EMS.

-- Work in critical infrastructure, such as grocery stores, homeless shelters, restaurants, gas stations and public utilities.

-- Be in a high-risk group, like those who are over 60, have underlying health conditions or are pregnant.

People at a higher risk of infection and showing symptoms also can be screened and possibly tested at CHI Franciscan triage centers, the health systems reports. Those considered "high-risk" include health care workers, first responders, patients in nursing homes, patients with severe lung illness or chronic disease, pregnant women, patients older than 60 and people who have been exposed to a known COVID-19 patient.

For those with symptoms, local health systems, including MultiCare and CHI Franciscan, are offering free online appointments with health care providers. Virtual appointments are for those with COVID-19 symptoms like a low-grade fever, a cough and mild respiratory problems.

Dusti Demarest, Debbie Cockrell, Josephine Peterson and Gene Johnson of The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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