COVID‐19 in Seattle—Early lessons learned

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has rapidly evolved and now dominates the attention and full efforts of the emergency medicine community, both domestic and abroad. Seattle is the site of the initial diagnosed COVID‐19 cases and fatalities in the United States. We provide an overview of the system‐level response of 6 Seattle emergency departments and the Washington state chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Local efforts involved the spectrum of emergency response including on‐ and off‐site triage strategies, an approach to personal protective equipment, testing and reporting protocols, early treatments, communication strategies, the impact on front‐line providers, and ongoing work.