The COVID-19 assessment centre in Sault Ste. Marie is trying to reduce wait times for testing.
But according to Sault Area Hospital (SAH), a backlog in labratory processing – combined with on onslaught of calls into the centre due to the onset of cold and flu season – is complicating that goal.
"Like all other assessment centres in the province we are experiencing unprecedented call volumes," said Brandy Sharp Young, manager of communications and media services for Sault Area Hospital, in an email to SooToday. "With schools back in session, we are seeing a high number of children with cold and flu symptoms and their close contacts and families requiring testing."
"We share the community’s concerns and are working diligently to reduce wait times."
There is currently a three-day wait time for a testing appointment at the assessment centre. Sault Area Hospital has expanded the hours for the assessment centre – it now closes at 10 p.m. – and says it's working to address staffing issues and improvements to the assessment centre's phone system.
Processing time for a COVID-19 test result is averaging five to seven days, amid what Sharp Young describes as a backlog for laboratory processing in Ontario. All samples from Sault Ste. Marie are sent to Sudbury in order to be processed.
Sharp Young says the hospital hopes recent changes to COVID-19 testing made at the provincial level – including the recent announcement that Ontario pharmacies will participate in testing – will help the assessment centre's efforts.
"We are hopeful that the recent announcements made by the province to support testing - including community pharmacies performing asymptomatic testing, and the new COVID-19 testing guidelines - will support the efforts of the Sault Ste. Marie’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre," Sharp Young said.
The assessment centre can perform 140 tests per day, on average, in its current capacity.
