Seattle vaccination hubs offer COVID-19 testing long-term

Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today announced that the City of Seattle and UW Medicine have partnered to create long-term COVID-19 testing availability in the months to come at the City’s Rainier Beach and West Seattle vaccination hubs.

UW Medicine has sited COVID-19 testing trailers at each hub, with appointments available immediately. These are self-swab tests where the patient conducts their own COVID-19 test under observation from a healthcare professional. Results are provided by UW Medicine within 24-48 hours.

“Even as vaccination rates climb in Seattle and King County and COVID-19 cases continue to dramatically drop, it’s critical that we continue to have citywide free and accessible COVID-19 testing available for our communities for the long term,” Durkan said. “Seattle Fire led the country in innovative testing strategies, and with UW Medicine, readily available testing will ensure we can safely reopen and recover and keep our community spread low in Seattle. Our partners at UW Medicine have led the way time and time again during COVID-19 and this resource will be critical in the months to come for our South and West Seattle communities.”

"We’re very pleased that COVID-19 cases are decreasing in Seattle, but there continues to be new infections. We need to remain vigilant in our testing efforts, especially as new and potentially more infectious viral variants have been reported in different parts of the world,” said Dr. Keith Jerome, professor and head of the Virology Division at UW Medicine. “This partnership with the City of Seattle will allow us to continue to provide the people of our city with the highest quality and fastest COVID-19 testing available, and to respond to any challenges that still lie ahead."

The UW Medicine COVID-19 testing trailers at Rainier Beach and West Seattle operate Mondays – Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments are required and can be made through UW Medicine’s website or by calling UW Medicine at 206-477-3977; in-language services are available over the phone. Residents receiving a COVID-19 test must bring a photo ID showing their date of birth, and should provide their insurance card, if they have one. Testing is available regardless of citizenship/immigration status, and COVID-19 tests are free and insurance is not required.

COVID-19 testing is prioritized for people with symptoms and/or people who had close contact with known positives. UW Medicine’s COVID-19 testing trailer will remain at the West Seattle site even after the vaccination hub closes on June 9, 2021.

“Though over 75 percent of Seattleites have received at least their first dose of the vaccination, it remains important to seek testing if you have symptoms of COVID-19, such as shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, cough, or fever,” said Seattle Fire medical director Dr. Michael Sayre. “Through this partnership with UW Medicine, we are providing convenient options for residents to seek testing and rapidly receive results, to ensure we can continue to decrease the number of COVID-19 cases.”

To-date, the City of Seattle’s COVID-19 testing sites have administered over 756,600 tests, and one in three Seattle residents have used the City’s free testing infrastructure. The City continues to operate its drive through testing sites in Aurora and SODO; residents can find more information and can book an appointment here.

Please continue to follow all public health guidance, including indoor masking for vaccinated and unvaccinated people, and visit this website from Public Health – Seattle & King County for more information.

For details about UW Medicine, please visit http://uwmedicine.org/about.