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This week, Seattle really began hitting major milestones as Seattle residents continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which is critical to keeping families safe and creating a strong long term recovery for our region.
Yesterday, I spoke with NBC News’ Lester Holt about the city’s success in vaccinating residents. The City is turning a corner on this pandemic. 76% of Seattle residents who are 12+ have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine. We are continuing to push, to become the first major U.S City to be fully vaccinated. After seeing some of the first deaths from Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic, we have far exceeded President Biden’s vaccination goal.
Click the photo to watch the NBC News segment, with Lester Holt
This week, Seattle Fire began vaccine clinics at every high school and middle school in order to vaccinate students before summer. Working with our partners at Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Fire has launched clinics to offer vaccinations to the nearly 17,000 eligible public middle and high school students, before the end of the school year.
Offering the vaccine to our younger students provides families with peace of mind that their children will be safe from catching and spreading the virus. Getting kids back in school safely is critical to ensuring our youth have access to true and lasting opportunity.
We’re also changing our approach to reach folks who haven’t yet had access to this life-saving vaccine. This weekend, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) is hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic this Saturday, May 22. This pop-up is a partnership between the City, the Phinney Neighborhood Association, Bluebird Ice Cream, and Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.
We are bringing the vaccine directly to communities and breaking down as many barriers as possible to getting vaccinated. Our pop-up clinics with breweries and business districts have been an incredible success, and we’ve managed to reach hundreds of Seattleites who may not have even planned to get vaccinated.
As we learned from the beginning, we cannot beat this pandemic unless we work together. Get vaccinated to enjoy the things we miss the most: sporting events, gathering with friends and family, live performances, and supporting our small businesses. Get vaccinated so we can protect our community-wide health and safety. Visit seattle.gov/vaccine to book an appointment or receive more information.
As always, please continue to write me at [email protected], 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,
As the initial epicenter of COVID-19, our city workforce embarked upon a monumental endeavor to serve our community, including many employees who began working remotely full time. Throughout the past year, we have all had to adapt to a new normal as we worked together to flatten the curve and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. While many were learning how to do jobs from home, so many of our City workers have been reporting to their worksites daily to deliver essential services to the people who live and work in Seattle. Our City workers have put in an incredible amount of work during an unprecedented year to keep this City running.
Mayor Durkan joined leaders from the Office of the Waterfront, Seattle Aquarium, and Pike Place Market for a walking tour this week.
We are looking forward to the reinvention and investments into Seattle’s Waterfront will create great opportunity for small businesses, and public events and activities in the future.
King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin has issued a Local Health Officer Directive that strongly urges residents to continue wearing a face mask in indoor public settings, whether or not they are vaccinated. Public Health – Seattle & King County recommends that businesses who serve the public continue policies to ensure customers and employees wear masks indoors.
This week, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan joined the United States Conference of Mayors’ Reimagining Public Safety summit to facilitate a discussion with Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta on the Role of Federal Government in Decreasing Community Violence. During this discussion, Mayor Durkan and Associate Attorney General Gupta discussed reimagining public safety, police reform, consent decrees, and how Cities can work together with the Federal Government to reduce violence in our communities.
Mayor Durkan also met with Ambassador Susan Rice, Director of the Domestic Policy Council earlier today to discuss improving community safety, and the role of the federal government in addressing the epidemic of gun violence.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in collaboration with internet service provider companies, has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households (and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands). Seattle area providers are participating in this program.
Upon transfer, Phinney Neighborhood Association will join Byrd Barr Place and Central Area Senior Center as the third successful property transfer since September 2020
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan transmitted legislation to the Seattle City Council to permanently transfer the ownership of Greenwood Senior Center to Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA), a community organization that provides programming, services, and activities that connect neighbors and foster civic engagement. PNA has been operating the center since 2006, providing social services to older adult residents of the Greenwood neighborhood.
A group of youngsters played soccer on the playfield of West Seattle’s Pathfinder K-8 school Thursday afternoon to tunes from Lady Gaga and Disney movies. Nearby, in a covered area, classmates sat socially distanced in chairs under the basketball hoops, looking at iPads or shouting to their friends through their masks from 6 feet away.
“Can I go now?” one student asked from his chair as he rubbed his newly vaccinated arm, wanting to join his friends. Not yet, an adult said. Everyone needed to wait the 15 minutes required after the COVID-19 vaccine.
The playfield of Pathfinder K-8 captured much of what it’s been like for young adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic — a lot of waiting and social distancing as the world grapples with a deadly virus. But this moment signaled hope for the preteens and teens, and their families: Soon, they might be able to see their friends and teachers again, maybe even without masks.
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