UW Medicine ramps up study of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin for COVID-19 treatment, Seattle to put $4 million in federal funding toward rental assistance amid Coronavirus pandemic, and more from this week’s Seattle in the Spotlight.

UW Medicine Ramps Up Study of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin for COVID-19 Treatment

GeekWire | Alan Boyle | May 14

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/uw-medicine-ramps-study-hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin-covid-19-treatment/

“One of the treatments touted by President Donald Trump for COVID-19, a combination of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine and the antiviral drug azithromycin, is the subject of a nationwide study with UW Medicine playing a role. The Phase 2b clinical trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health, will involve 2,000 outpatients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in the early stages of treatment. “We know from a number of different other kinds of infections that if antiviral treatment is going to be effective, it tends to be most effective if it’s given very early on,” Ann Collier, a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, said in a video about the study.”

Seattle to Put $4 Million in Federal Funding toward Rental Assistance Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Seattle PI | Becca Savransky | May 12

https://www.seattlepi.com/coronavirus/article/seattle-4-mm-federal-funding-rental-assistance-15264831.php

“Seattle is putting nearly $4 million in federal funding toward rental assistance programs to help the thousands of people who have been struggling to pay their rent during the novel coronavirus outbreak. The funding comes from the CARES Act Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grants and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS funds. The funds will be distributed through multiple organizations in the city, including $426,000 for housing assistance for people living with AIDS, $700,000 for United Way’s rental assistance program, $1.45 million through the city’s homelessness prevention programs and $1.4 million through affordable housing providers funded by the Seattle Office of Housing, according to a news release from the city.”

Report: Seattle Likely to Recover from Pandemic Faster than Most U.S. Cities

KOMO News | KOMO News Staff | May 11

https://komonews.com/news/local/report-seattle-likely-to-recover-from-pandemic-faster-than-most-cities

“Seattle is likely to have one of the quickest and strongest recoveries in the nation as the coronavirus scare winds down, according to a report by Moody’s Analytics. The report, cited by Yahoo Finance, analyzed the top 100 U.S. metro areas’ capabilities for a strong recovery using two primary factors: population density and educational attainment. “The most dynamic recoveries may well bypass traditional powerhouses and take place instead in areas that (weren’t) poised to lead the way in 2020 before everything changed,” wrote Adam Kamins, senior regional economist at Moody’s Analytics, according to Yahoo Finance.”