SASKATOON -- A Saskatchewan man says the provincial health authority left him in limbo after he didn’t get his COVID-19 test result until eight days later.

“The information coming from Sask. Health was very slow,” said Brandon McCullough. “They tell you one thing at the test site but another thing totally different happens.”

About three weeks ago McCullough’s workplace closed after an outbreak was declared. As a precaution, he and his wife went to the drive-thru testing centre in Saskatoon for COVID-19 tests.

“We were told we’d get a phone call back within 48 hours and our doctor would also be notified,” McCullough said, but neither got a call that quickly.

McCullough said his wife received a call four days after saying she tested negative, adding he didn’t get a call until eight days after his test and in between the time he got tested and his wife received her results, he started to become ill.

Because he didn’t know his results, McCullough said his wife didn’t return to work, and the SHA advised that if he tested positive, both would have to stay isolated in their home at the Water Park subdivision south of Saskatoon for 14 days.

“We sat here and thought ‘okay she’s not supposed to go to work if I’m positive, but we don’t know’ so she took a few days off just to be safe,” McCullough said. “She can’t afford to stay home for 14 days if she’s fine so we were caught in limbo not knowing, trying to follow the guidelines as best we could.”

McCullough eventually did receive the news he was looking for, a negative COVID-19 test. But by the time that news came, he was feeling very ill, so he scheduled an appointment with his doctor and scheduled a second COVID-19 test.

It turned out McCullough had pneumonia and was prescribed medication by his doctor. A day after his 54th birthday he said he’s feeling much better and he’s relieved he doesn’t have COVID-19.

According to the SHA when COVID-19 results are positive, the local Medical Health Officer and the ordering physician are quickly informed and patients with positive test results will be notified of their results by medical authorities.

Laboratories prioritize COVID-19 tests from symptomatic individuals before most asymptomatic testing, according to the SHA and it is working to maintain a 24 to 48 hour turnaround time for test results from symptomatic COVID-19 suspected cases.

Delays in results of asymptomatic screening tests may be expected depending on demand, the SHA said.