Also in this edition: City Sites Pass 500,000 COVID-19 Tests , and Mayor Issues Statement on Coronavirus Relief Package



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This holiday season is going to look and feel different than any other.This year has been difficult for many people in our regionwiththe pandemicandresultingeconomic crisisthathasimpactedourfamilies, residents, and businesses.

Although our cases and hospitalizations are still athighlevels, our effortsin recent weeksarebeginning tobend the curve of the virus, savelives, and keep our stressed hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Anew report [ [link removed] ]by the Department of Health today foundtravel and gatherings were substantially lower than in previous years, with King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane counties seeing greater than 60% reductions in contacts on Thanksgiving compared to Thanksgiving 2019. This reduction appears to have been sufficient to prevent a large Thanksgiving-related increase in transmission in early December.

Butit will be up to all of us tocontinue tofollow public health guidance todecrease the number of cases in our community.As we continue to work tocurbthe spread of COVID-19, it is important that you stay homeand celebrateonlywith your household. Pleasedonottravel this holiday seasonor host holiday gatherings.

Washington State Health Department COVID-19 case counts data, showing the epidemiologic curve decreasing

COVID-19 case count in Washington State

TheWashington State Health Department [ [link removed] ]showsthat our casesstatewidearedecreasing, but we still need to remain diligent. This means keeping our most vulnerable neighbors,and community membershealthy bystaying home and continuing to practicesocial distancingduringthese next few weeks.While it ishard tostayaway from loved ones and family membersduring this time of year,it is crucialthatwe continue to do everything we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

Testing continues to be one of the most important things we can do in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Since June, ourfree Citywide testing sites [ [link removed] ]led by Seattle Fire have been a critical to slowing the spread of the outbreak in our City and our region.This week, we surpassed 500,000 tests at our sites, and we also announced the opening ofthree new Curative testing kiosks.These additional Curative kiosks enable us to reach more people in more neighborhoods all across our City- thetests are free, and require pre-registration online.Use theCurative website [ [link removed] ]to make an appointment at a location near you.

In the midst of the pandemic,Seattle alsoexperienced some winter weatherthis past week. Our City departments have been preparing for flooding, ice, extreme cold, and snow.Below are some tips to ensure you andyourhouseholdisprepared for aSeattle winter [ [link removed] ].

As always, please continue to write me [email protected], reach out viaTwitter [ [link removed] ]andFacebook [ [link removed] ], and stay up-to-date on the work were doing for the people of Seattle onmy blog. [ [link removed] ]

Stay Safe, Healthy, and Happy Holidays,

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Winter Weather Preparedness

December 21st was the official start of winter, and winter brings plenty of hazards, including rain, snow, wind, and landslides. Being prepared for winter hazards is important, especially as we all spend more time at home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winter Hazards

The winter months bring us plenty of weather, and with that, the potential for emergencies. Click the links below to learn more about our Seattle-area winter hazards.


* Snow, Ice, and Extreme Cold [ [link removed] ]
* Landslides [ [link removed] ]
* Windstorms [ [link removed] ]
* Power Outages [ [link removed] ]

Being prepared for winter emergencies is as easy as understanding the hazards and planning for how you and your family will deal with them.Click here [ [link removed] ]for information about creating an emergency plan for yourself, your family, and your neighborhood.

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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City of Seattle Testing Sites Pass 500,000 Testing Milestone

This week, City of Seattle testing sites have administered over 500,000tests across four Citywide testing sites. Since launching in June, Seattle Fire Department staff have administered tests free of charge foreveryone, regardless of insurance status.Accessible, widespreadtesting has been a crucial component of our Citys response to COVID-19 testing, helping public healthexperts and City leaders better understand the spread of this virus in ourcommunities.

To learn more about the Seattle's free tests, please visitour website [ [link removed] ].

COVID-19 drive through testing site in Seattle

COVID-19 testing site

Seattle was the first major American city to be impacted by the virus. Nearly 10months after the first case,Seattle has the lowest rates [ [link removed] ]of COVID-19 related hospitalizations, infections, and the second-lowest death rate. 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.

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Mayor Durkan Issues Statement on Coronavirus Relief Package

Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a statement following passage of the Federal coronavirus relief package in the House of Representatives:

For months, small businesses, workers, and residents demanded Congress act for basic relief at a time of record unemployment and closures of small businesses. Our Congressional delegation has been on the frontlines of fighting for important relief for our city and its residents and businesses, but the Republicans in Congress continue to hold this country hostage by not taking the bold action needed during this unprecedented public health and economic crisis. More relief is desperately needed.

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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Three New Curative Testing Kiosks Will Open to Add COVID-19 Testing Capacity to North, Central, and South Seattle

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the City of Seattle will be getting three new Curative COVID-19 testing kiosks at locations across the City. Two of the new kioskshadan initial launch on Tuesday, December 22, with the third launching on Saturday, December 26. All kiosks will initially operate from noon to 3:00 p.m., and afterwards from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. These additional walk-up kiosks will be placed in locations in north, central, and south Seattle to provide more testing for residents across the City.

City of Seattle testing coordinators have chosen the following sites based on demand, rate of positive cases, and with a focus on serving underserved populations:


* North Seattle:Lower Woodland Park
* Uptown/Seattle Center:2ndAve and Republican, near the Seattle Repertory Theatre
* South Seattle:Old UW Laundry site west of Mt. Baker Light Rail Station

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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COVID-19 quarantine guidance updated as new strain of coronavirus circulates in some countries

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated quarantine guidance for some travelers and planning to test flight crews arriving from some countries where a new variant of COVID-19 is circulating.

Governor Jay Insleeissued a proclamation [ [link removed] ]requiring all people who travel to Washington state from these countries, which include the United Kingdom and South Africa, to quarantine for 14 days after arriving. The proclamation follows atravel advisory [ [link removed] ]the governor issued last month recommending a 14-day quarantine for all interstate and international travel.

Additionally, people who enter Washington after travel to the U.K. or South Africa should get tested if they develop symptoms. If no symptoms develop, they should get tested five to seven days after leaving the U.K. or South Africa.

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WEEKEND READ: Crosscut: Top stories of 2020 in Washington state

In the longest, shortest year in most of our lives, a lot happened. Recap the year with us and look ahead to 2021.

"The word of the year has to be unprecedented. Its maddening, overused and, unfortunately, true. Time feels simultaneously frozen and moving at least a million miles an hour. As a result, it can be difficult to remember what the heck happened these past 12 months between our bouts of reading everything to desperately avoiding all those breaking news alerts."

"This roundup is an effort to take stock of the year through the stories we helped tell about politics, science, and culture across our region. How were these chosen? Theyre partly based on what you read the most, but were also sharing some of the topics and stories that stuck with us this year."

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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