COVID-19 testing sites in Federal Way, Auburn to close

The county cites low case rates and increased at-home tests

By Henry Stewart-Wood • May 10, 2022 2:25 pm
A South King Fire & Rescue firefighter places a used test swab into a secure COVID test vial on Nov. 18, 2020, at a Federal Way testing site. Olivia Sullivan/Sound Publishing
A South King Fire & Rescue firefighter places a used test swab into a secure COVID test vial on Nov. 18, 2020, at a Federal Way testing site. Olivia Sullivan/Sound Publishing

COVID-19 testing locations in Federal Way and Auburn will shut down on May 27 and June 1, respectively, according to the King County Public Health Insider.

The decision to close these testing locations is partly due to the decrease in cases after the Omicron variant, and partly due to the increased accessibility of rapid at-home testing options.

Although the county is shutting down these testing locations, it is still committed to providing residents with free and accessible COVID-19 testing. This could include partnering with healthcare providers who re-open the Auburn and Federal Way testing sites, or opening sites at new locations.

King County is averaging 946 new cases each day, this is over double the rate 30 days ago on April 6, of 454 cases per day. The county is also averaging 11 daily hospitalizations and one death, according to the King County COVID-19 dashboard.