Hospital group allows employees greater use of masks

Employees objected to its directive that disallowed or discouraged health care workers from using surgical masks when not interacting with coronavirus patients.

SEATTLE — A look at virus-related developments in Washington:

UW Medicine, which runs Harborview Medical Center and hospitals and clinics around Seattle, has announced changes to its mask policy after employees objected to its directive that disallowed or discouraged health care workers from using surgical masks when they were not interacting with coronavirus patients.

The Seattle Times reports that the changes were conveyed in a note to employees Wednesday.

“Last night, we began a roll-out of extended-use masking for health care workers at UW Medicine. We began in the Emergency Departments with plans to then expand to other clinical areas over the next 24 hours,” the health system wrote. The message said the health care systems’ leaders understood that employees felt uncomfortable coming to work without additional personal protective equipment.