Registration Opens this Evening Adding Capacity for More Than 1,000 Additional Tests a Day
Seattle (December 4, 2020) – Mayor Jenny A Durkan announced today the new Curative COVID-19 testing kiosks will have a soft launch on Saturday, December 5 from noon to 3 p.m., operating thereafter Mondays through Saturdays. The first two Kiosks will serve walk-up clients and are located in Northgate at the south end of the Northgate Community Center and in the Central District east of the Garfield Community Center. Clients can register for kiosk testing appointments beginning this evening. This pilot program can easily increase City of Seattle daily testing capacity by more than 1,000 units.
“In recent days, our country reported new record deaths – one person dying every 30 seconds. Hospitals reached record highs with 100,000 hospitalized and 200,000 new cases nationwide. As a city, we must remain vigilant of this deadly virus to protect our family, friends and community for the spread of COVID-19. Testing is a key way that we can track the virus and ultimately keep communities safe,” said Mayor Durkan. “In addition to our Seattle Fire citywide sites, this new partnership with Curative, offers an invaluable resource additional testing capacity at a time when cases are surging.”
“The COVID testing kiosks at Northgate, a transit hub in North Seattle, are an example of the City of Seattle’s commitment to accessible testing for those who depend on transit or have mobility challenges,” said District 5 Councilmember Debora Juarez, who represents the Northgate area. “Accessibility should never come between you and your health. Our city continues to be a leader in this effort in partnership with our incredible medical community- such as the first responders and frontline workers at Northwest Hospital, UW Medicine, and Virginia Mason. ”
The new kiosks allow clients to use an observed and directed self-collected oral fluid swab COVID-19 test. A Curative staff member will be available at each location to walk clients through the quick and painless process. Results will be delivered electronically within 48 hours. As with other City-sponsored no-cost testing sites, individuals must pre-register online. Potential clients can access registration to schedule appointments at www.curative.com or through the city’s testing website. Hours of operation may be adjusted depending on demand, with initial days and hours set at Monday thru Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Clients will not be charged and will not receive a bill, regardless of insurance status. For uninsured clients, Curative will seek reimbursement from state and federal resources including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Relief Fund for the cost of the test.
The City of Seattle can conduct upward of 6,000 tests daily, with this new pilot, citywide daily testing capacity can easily surpass 7,000. The City has administered 450,000 tests across the Aurora, SoDo, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle Citywide testing locations since June.
Seattle was the first major American city to be impacted by the virus. Nine months after the first case, Seattle has the lowest rates of COVID-19 related hospitalizations, infections, and the second-lowest death rate. However, as the virus is rapidly spreading across the country, Seattle is not immune. As communities across the country await widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, individual behavior and testing remain the best way to mitigate virus spread within our communities.