SEATTLE — Visitors to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle must show proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide a negative test taken within three days to be allowed inside.
UW Medicine temporarily suspended patient visitors in Nov. 2020 due to the pandemic, with some exceptions.
The hospital said the requirement is for all inpatient visitors over the age of 12 and people over 18 accompanying an adult outpatient. The policy went into effect on Oct. 19.
A person is considered fully vaccinated at least two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Everyone over the age of 2 is also required to wear a mask at all times.
“This new policy allows Harborview to resume visitation, which has been temporarily suspended. We believe that this requirement will provide a safer environment and plan to expand it to other UW Medicine hospitals and clinics in the coming weeks,” a statement on the UW Medicine website reads.
Harborview said the following forms of vaccination proof will be accepted:
- Centers of Disease Control COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or photo of the front and back of the card.
- Documentation from a health care provider or electronic health record (for example Epic MyChart).
- State immunization information system record (for example MyIR).
- For an individual who was vaccinated outside of the United States, a reasonable equivalent of any of the above (for example the World Health Organization yellow vaccination card).
- As a reminder: It is against the law to use fake proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.
The hospital said it cannot accept a QR code to show proof of vaccination.
Anyone given a religious or medical vaccine exemption will be required to show a negative test taken within three days. Harborview said all COVID-19 tests are accepted, except for antibody blood tests. The hospital said antibody blood tests would not be accepted “because they indicate a previous COVID-19 infection or vaccination rather than current COVID-19 status.”
Harborview inpatients are allowed one or two visitors a day. The hospital said once visitors leave, the patient is not allowed to have more visitors that day. However, virtual visits are allowed by calling the hospital to set up a virtual patient visit.
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