Saskatoon drive-thru testing centre struggles to meet spike in demand
A sudden influx in demand for COVID-19 tests in Saskatoon is resulting in long lineups at the testing centre on Thatcher Avenue near SaskTel Centre.
“Our wait times are sitting at over three hours in some cases,” said Carrie Dornstauder, interim testing chief with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
“A lot of that is due to sudden influx, something we didn’t see in July and August and some of it is due to lack of staffing both regularly available and some immediate short-term sick calls.”
On Tuesday the drive-thru testing centre in Saskatoon closed three-and-a-half hours earlier than its 7:30 p.m. closing time because it had reached capacity.
On July 19, the SHA scaled back its hours of operation to match the demand for testing, Dornstauder said.
The testing centre now runs from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:30 a.m., to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The change in hours allowed healthcare staff to return to their regular positions, Dornstauder said.
“A lot of staff were returned to regular work and we saw people moving away from temporary and casual positions making it tough for us to recruit so there’s a variety of complexities,” she said.
“August 23rd was our biggest testing day in a while and it was four times the amount of people we saw back in July.”
The SHA said it aims for a 90-minute turnaround time. Dornstauder said the SHA is meeting that target in Regina, but not in Saskatoon.
Staffing fatigue is the number one concern and the inability to staff is the second challenge, she said.
On Wednesday another long line of cars stood idled along Thatcher Avenue. People who spoke to CTV News said they expected a four-hour wait but after two hours they were nearly at the front of the line. Drivers reported lining up at 12:30 p.m., only half an hour after the testing site opened, and already encountering the two-hour wait to get tested.
The drive-thru testing centre in Prince Albert had to close early on Wednesday because it reached its daily capacity.
The testing centre at the Cone Shop Car Wash will reopen Thursday at 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
On Wednesday Saskatoon added 43 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the city’s total active case number to 735.
Do you have a story idea or news tip? Email us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.