New test sites, efforts to bridge COVID-19 racial disparities in King County

COVID case are skyrocketing -- what hasn’t changed is that communities of color are disproportionately impacted.

On Saturday, the City of Seattle launched two new COVID kiosk test sites in the Central District and Northgate neighborhoods. The tests are less invasive - people walk up and swab their own mouths under the supervision of a Curative employee. Curative is the company running the kiosks.

There are also new efforts to bridge the gap in services in other diverse neighborhoods, like Skyway in unincorporated King County.

“Skyway has been forgotten. The population of COVID and the deaths in COVID have been in black communities,” said Bridgette Hempstead, founder and CEO of Cierra Sisters, a breast cancer survivor and support organization.

Hempstead brought the one-day COVID test site to Skyway, working with Public Health Seattle-King County and UW Medicine.

“Why it important? Black people are dying. So those who are alive - we are a voice for them. Come out and get tested,” Hempstead said.

Compared to Whites, the CDC says Blacks and Latinx who get COVID-19, are 2.7times as likely to die from the virus.

Public Health Seattle-King County reported in November that people in South King County are more likely to get exposed to COVID because they have to go work, while people in North Seattle and Shoreline are more likely to get exposed from optional community or social gatherings.

Public Health said the event in Skyway Saturday aimed to help close a gap in services  - but also in trust.

“The first place we have to step is bridging the communication issue in the Black community as a whole,” said Daphne Pie, with Public Health.

The event was much more than just a COVID test site. People could also get a flu vaccine, sign up for healthcare, get discounted Orca passes, and even get a free Christmas tree.

“We need to build better relationships with the Black community, we need to bring services that Public Health provides to the Black community,” Pie said.

Part of that effort includes expanding testing to other diverse neighborhoods like Seattle’s Central District.

The City of Seattle soft launched two kiosks on Saturday, one near the Garfield Community Center, and another outside the Northgate Community Center – areas that are easy for people to reach by foot or public transit. People who want a free test first need to sign up online at www.curative.com or can register on through the Seattle COVID testing website.

“I like how the city’s made it more accessible,” said Ryder Stroud, who lives in the Central District and walked to the community center to get a test on Saturday. “I did notice it was vehicle heavy having to get to Rainier Beach or SoDo,” he said.

The test has the person who is getting tested swab all over inside your mouth – five seconds on each cheek, on the roof of your mouth, on and under your tongue, and even your gumline.

“It’s nice to have something that’s convenient one, but also to not having your brain touched by the swab,” Stroud said.

People say the expanded testing options are steps in the right direction - but hope there will be much more.

“Not enough has been done,” Hempstead said. “We want to change the narrative that happens in our Black community. And King County Skyway, we are crying out. Don’t forget about us,” she said.

Public Health is partnering with Integrity Life Church in Federal Way for another free pop-up COVID test site next Saturday (Dec 12), and the City of Seattle says more testing Curative testing kiosks will be added sometime mid-December.

Cox Media Group