The School of Social Work is committed to prompt and compassionate communication when someone in our community may have been exposed to or contracts the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. These steps, which follow established UW protocols, are designed to protect the health of the individual, ensure privacy, and reduce the chances of the virus spreading to community members and beyond. All communications are coordinated with UW Environmental Health & Safety and comply with public health standards and best practices.

The School's designated COVID-19 liaison officer is Vicki Anderson-Ellis, Assistant Dean of Finance & Administration, at vaellis@uw.edu or 206-685-1667.

Step 1: The potentially affected faculty, staff or student contacts Vicki Anderson-Ellis as follows:

  • Faculty: contact Vicki Anderson-Ellis.
  • Staff: contact your immediate supervisor who then connects with Vicki Anderson-Ellis.
  • Students: contact Lin Murdock and/or Student Services who then connects with Vicki Anderson-Ellis.

Step 2: COVID-19 liaison contacts the supervisor and/or affected person to ask:

  1. When did symptoms arise?
  2. Were you in the SSW facility during any symptom exposure? If so, when and where?
  3. Have you already been tested by your health care provider and/or public health agency?

Step 3: Depending on answers to these questions, there are two tracks for reporting.

Track 1: Person is symptomatic but did not test for COVID-19:

  • If a person has symptoms and did not test, ask for the person to stay home for 14 days and monitor symptoms and call health care provider if symptoms persist.
  • If a person pursues testing, they would get back in touch with Vicki Anderson-Ellis with the results.
  • If a person does not pursue testiing and is better, a courtesy call to Vicki Anderson-Ellis is appreciated for final notification.
  • If the test is negative and/or the person is better, the case closes and no further action is taken.

Track 2: Person is symptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19:

  • Once the test is confirmed positive UW EH&S is notified.
  • EH&S reaches out directly to the affected person to investigate exposures to broader UW community, places and other contacts.
  • EH&S will send out notifications to those exposed directly to take precautions and monitor possible symptoms with the advice to stay home for 14 days from initial exposure with the affected individual.
  • COVID-19 liaison will notify the community of COVID-19 exposure (including when and where the affected person was) to give more detailed information.

Step 4: Final steps for community and facility:

  1. The site will be deep-cleaned—regardless of testing outcome for cleanliness—once the supervisor and/or the affected employee contact the COVID-19 liaison.
  2. The COVID-19 liaison will check in with the affected community member to ensure they have all the resources they need, which may include leave information, IT support and suitable teleworking arrangements.