Durkan Digest: Surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Seattle

December 2, 2020 | Mayor Jenny Durkan

The region, state, and country are facing the third wave of COVID-19 cases.

Seattle is nearing 11,000 cases, with 34% of the city's total cases in November alone. Hospitalizations have reached the same levels as March and April. And unfortunately, 12 Seattle residents lost their lives to COVID-19 in November.

This third wave is the most dangerous phase. All of us are tired, but it is our doctors, nurses, and essential workers who are the most at risk in the weeks to come. Our health care workers have been on the front lines of this crisis for the last nine months and now are seeing the highest cases to date.

Our choices matter, and we need everyone to protect our community and keep our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. If we all do our part, we can reverse this trajectory and protect our community's health and our economy.

We have flattened the curve before, and we must do it again. We know how to beat this virus: limit our social gatherings, mask up, get tested when exposed or [experiencing] symptoms, stay home when sick, ensure six feet of social distance, and follow public health guidance for businesses and workplaces.

The Washington DOH, Institute for Disease Modeling, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and University of Washington show that we can change the trajectory as we did in March:

Hope is on the horizon in 2021 with a vaccine, but the next few weeks and months are critical. Without a doubt, the pandemic has been challenging for our small businesses, residents, families, and workers. People are hurting. While all of us are immensely frustrated that the federal government has yet to pass another COVID-19 relief package, there are some local and state resources available.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the City of Seattle has worked quickly to launch COVID-19 relief programs including rent relief, expanding shelter for people experiencing homelessness, child care, grocery vouchers, direct cash assistance for immigrants and refugees, and financial assistance to small businesses. Residents and businesses can find a list of existing COVID-19 relief resources and policies on this website

www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19

As always, please continue to write me at Jenny.Durkan@seattle.gov, reach out via Twitter and Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we're doing for the people of Seattle on my blog.

Stay safe and healthy.

Shop Your Block for the holidays and Small Business Saturday
The Office of Economic Development has launched the new Shop Your Block retail map [www.seattle.gov/office-of-economic-development/shop-your-block] to support small businesses throughout the holiday season. Shop Your Block connects consumers to local small retail businesses throughout Seattle using the new retail map and online neighborhood marketplaces.

WA Department of Health: COVID-19 hospital occupancy is soaring
COVID-19 hospital occupancy is rapidly increasing throughout Washington as the state continues to experience exponential growth in new cases. The Department of Health is seeing alarming increases in the number of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals as well as the number hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) beds - critical capacity needed to treat severe COVID-19 cases as well as other patients with serious conditions.

The trend is highlighted in new data added to the state's Risk Assessment dashboard today [https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-know/covid-19-risk-assessment-dashboard]. The dashboard shows that the number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in our hospitals doubled from 471 on November 1 to 932 on November 23. In addition, the number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in our ICUs increased about 75% from 124 on November 1 to 214 on November 23. If this doubling rate continues, we may have over 1,800 COVID-19 patients in our hospitals by mid-December.

Because COVID-19 patients may stay in the hospital for several weeks, hospital occupancy will continue to rise for some time even after hospital admissions level off. In some cases, large hospital systems are facing situations that would necessitate delaying non-urgent procedures due to a lack of staffed hospital beds. Situations like this can cause other patients with non-COVID-19 conditions to have to wait, and this also impacts anyone else who may need to seek care. It is imperative that we ensure access to hospital care for anyone who needs it, whether they have COVID-19 or another illness or injury.

"This situation is extraordinarily urgent, and we need everyone in Washington state to take action now to stop the spread of COVID-19 before our hospitals and frontline healthcare workers are overwhelmed," said State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. "I am extremely concerned about the current exponential growth of COVID-19 cases. We must all re-commit to flatten the curve now."

Building on successful free citywide test sites, Mayor Durkan announces partnership to pilot no-cost COVID-19 testing kiosks
As COVID-19 cases surge across the region and state, Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed a new executive order and announced a new pilot and partnership with Curative to create additional testing capacity. Curative, which currently conducts testing in cities like Los Angeles and states including Delaware, will initially provide two walk-up testing kiosks in North Seattle and Central Seattle, with more in mid-December.

Currently, the City of Seattle is conducting from 5,500 to 6,000 tests per day at the four citywide testing sites. These two kiosks sites will add capacity to conduct at least 1,000 tests per day. The City is evaluating five additional kiosk locations for the coming weeks that could add additional capacity for at least 2,500 tests. By mid-December, at least 9,000 tests per day could be administered through the City-sponsored sites.

"Across the region, state, and nation, we are facing the third wave of the pandemic. Seattle has led the way through innovative testing, and our Seattle Fire Department is leading our free citywide testing efforts and reaching record levels of testing over the past week. With a surging virus, we must surge our testing capacity. Through a new partnership with Curative, we will be piloting new kiosks to provide additional testing capacity in neighborhoods across Seattle. With cases surging across the country we have to employ every measure to slow the spread of the virus and keep communities safe," said Mayor Durkan.

Similar to the free citywide test sites, individuals must register online. Beginning the first week of December, potential clients will be able to pre-register for appointments at www.curative.com or through the city's testing website. Test results are typically returned within 48 hours via text or email. Additional location and registration information will be available in the coming days at Seattle's testing website

www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/free-covid-19-testing

Tests are self-administered using a single-use, oral sample, instead of the nasal swab common at the Aurora, Rainier Beach, SoDo, and West Seattle citywide testing sites. Clients will not be charged and will not receive a bill, regardless of insurance status.?For uninsured clients, Curative will seek reimbursement from the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act?Relief Fund?for the cost of the test.?We anticipate that kiosks will initially be operating?Monday thru Saturday?from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Curative may flex the days and hours of operations according to demand.

"Curative is proud to be partnering with the City of Seattle as a crucial COVID-19 testing resource for residents during this pivotal moment in the pandemic," said Fred Turner, CEO and co-founder of Curative. "Curative's goal is to make testing more accessible to all, including those most vulnerable, with our easy walk-up kiosks available across Seattle. Our unique, observed, and directed self-collected oral fluid swab COVID-19 test offers a painless, simple option with quick 24-48-hour results and no cost to patients."

"The number of tests conducted per day at our city's four community test sites has doubled from the summer months with the holiday rush and spread of COVID-19 in our region. We look forward to seeing the mobile kiosks implemented, which will help supply the highest density areas of the city with testing and serve as a complement to our current fire-department operated sites," said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. "I want to emphasize that testing should be prioritized for people experiencing symptoms or for those with close exposure to a positive person for 15 minutes or longer without a face covering. At this time, we simply do not have enough capacity to test people who are only receiving a test to gather with their family for Thanksgiving."

Of the top 30 American cities, the City of Seattle has the lowest rate of COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates. However, in recent weeks, cases and hospitalizations have increased significantly in the region, with Seattle's cases accounting for 20% of the total case count over the last 14 days. As cases have surged, increased access to testing is crucial to tracking the virus and keeping communities safe.

To address the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Inslee recently announced new restrictions through December 14, to slow the spread of the virus. In recent days, the City of Seattle released updated information on COVID-19-related programs, including rental and food assistance, utility discount programs and deferred payments, and Small Business Stabilization grants, and no-cost testing available to residents.

Courtesy of Mayor Jenny Durkan