Protective Behaviors Following Digital COVID-19 Exposure Notifications, Washington State, September 1, 2021, to March

Nicole L Briggs1, Brandon L Guthrie, Adam S Elder

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Ms Briggs); Departments of Global Health and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Dr Guthrie); Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Dr Elder); Department of Health Systems and Population Health (Ms Revere), Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Ms Molino); Office of Innovation and Technology, Washington State Department of Health, Tumwater, Washington (Mss West and Higgins);Office of Innovation and Technology, Washington State Department of Health, Tumwater and Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Dr Karras); and Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Dr Baseman).

Summary

Digital exposure notification systems like WA Notify influenced user behavior during COVID-19. More users implemented protective actions, such as quarantining and symptom watching, than initially planned.

Related Concept Videos

Standard Precaution01:26

Standard Precaution

Standard precautions are the minimum infection control safeguards used while caring for all patients, irrespective of their disease condition. They help prevent the spread of common infectious microorganisms to healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in all healthcare settings.
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
1.9K
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets01:17

Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets

Transmission-based precautions are for patients known to be infected or suspected to be infected or colonized with organisms that pose a significant risk to others. Some transmission-based precautions include contact, enteric, and droplet.
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
3.4K
Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment01:25

Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment

Transmission-based precautions are for patients infected or suspected to be infected (or colonized) with organisms posing a significant risk to others. The transmission precautions include airborne and protective environment precautions.
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
1.2K
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning01:22

PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning

Donning PPE must be completed before contact with the patient. This process protects from infectious agents. The sequence and action included in each donning are critical, and the steps must be systematic to avoid exposure to pathogens. The institutional policy also needs to be followed while donning PPE. The pre-donning preparations are gathering equipment, inspecting the PPE equipment for tears, holes, or damage, removing jewelry, removing any garments below the elbows, and tying the hair...
928
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings II: Doffing01:10

PPE Use in Healthcare Settings II: Doffing

The sequence of removing or doffing PPE starts with the gloves, as they are the most contaminated. Next is removal of the face shield or goggles, as they would interfere with removing other PPE. Then remove the gown, followed by the mask or respirator. Perform hand hygiene between steps if hands become contaminated and immediately after removing all PPE. Generally, the outside front and sleeves of the isolation gown, the goggles or the mask, the respirator, and the face shield are contaminated.
877
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
2.5K