By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – The accelerating outbreak of Covid-19 cases in Clallam County has been consistently among those who are unvaccinated, but there are break-through cases here, too.
On August 4, four Olympic Medical Center employees tested positive for COVID-19. All four employees had been vaccinated. Hospital officials say three are exhibiting symptoms, but none are seriously ill at this time.
They say all four work in the same outpatient clinic. We asked Chief Human Resources Officer Jennifer Burkhardt if these four cases were transmitted within the workplace.
“We don’t have any evidence that this was transmitted within the workplace, and there are some circumstances, living in social relationships outside of work, that make it suspected that the virus was contracted through community-based exposure.”
Burkhardt says the area of the clinic where the employees work was to be closed through Friday while extensive contact tracing continues, and will open again next week.
She says health care transmission is believed to be unlikely because of the organization’s extensive safety protocols and PPE usage.
“And we have very rigorous policies limiting outside visitation, and then, with respect to our staff members, we preclude staff, if they’re exhibiting even the slightest symptoms. And so we’ve taken a very safety conscious approach to limiting the transmission within the workplace. And frankly, the hospital is a very safe place with regard to covid-19.”