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High demand for COVID-19 testing sparks long waits at help line

The number of people with active COVID-19 infections hit an all-time high for a second straight day on Tuesday with 775 people fighting the virus in the province.
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A COVID-19 testing centre on Cook Street in Victoria. An appointment is required through a health-care provider and walk-ins are not accepted. DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

The number of people with active COVID-19 infections hit an all-time high for a second straight day on Tuesday with 775 people fighting the virus in the province.

The surge was reflected in longer wait times of up to 90 minutes for calls to the province’s 811 COVID-19 ­information line, many from people seeking tests.

“We have had a rapid increase in the demand for testing over the last few weeks or the last week or so and we are seeing some delay in the ramp up of that capacity,” said deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson.

“But I can assure you that all health authorities are working very hard to make sure that that capacity is there and that people can receive the test when they need it.”

Two more cases of COVID-19 were announced in the Island Health region on Tuesday for a total of 156 to date.

There are now seven active cases in the Island Health region. Of the 156 people who have tested positive, 144 have recovered and five have died.

Health authorities performed about 10,500 COVID-19 tests over three days from Friday through Monday, said B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix.

Part of the logistics is ­measuring public demand and ensuring facilities can meet demand, but not having facilities ready for 5,000 tests a day when 2,000 are needed, for example, Dix said. “We’ve seen an increase,” said Dix, explaining that over the past weekend there was a demand for about 3,500 tests a day.

There’s capacity in B.C. for 8,000 tests a day, according to the Health Ministry.

The province is working on testing capacity in two ways — in the laboratory where the specimen is tested, and in health authorities where appointments for testing are made and nasal swabs are performed.

“Health authorities are at the moment looking at their demand for testing and ensuring that the availability of testing is increased in every region, in every health authority,” ­Gustafson said.

Island Health said the backlog with testing is not in the drive-through pre-booked appointments but rather at the call centre where a long phone wait is characterized as 60 to 90 minutes — the time it could take to speak with a clerk or nurse when call volume is high, generally in the morning.

That wait has been exacerbated this week by technical problems that saw calls dropped Tuesday. The health authority is working with its telecommunications company to make fixes.

The number of people infected with COVID-19 in the Island Health region is almost evenly split between the three regions of the Island — south, central, and north — with the fewest in the central region.

Unlike other health authorities, where people can drop in to a centre for assessment and testing, people in the Island Health region are booked for appointments through a family care provider or the call centre.

The COVID call centre, at 1-844-901-8442, is open ­Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed on ­Sundays.

There are two testing centres in the south Island, at the Victoria Health Unit, 1947 Cook St., and the Peninsula Health Unit, 2170 Mount Newton X Road, Saanichton; others are in the central and north Island.

In the Island Health region, 45,135 tests have been performed, with 266 performed on Aug. 17.

Testing is recommended for people with these symptoms: fever, chills, cough or worsening of chronic cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, loss of sense of smell or taste, headache, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, or muscle aches. Less common symptoms include a stuffy nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye), dizziness, confusion, abdominal pain, skin rashes or discolouration of fingers or toes.

“After contacting Island Health’s call centre, generally, the maximum wait time to access a COVID-19 test is two days,” said Island Health.

The turnaround time for results is generally within 24 hours.

Anyone who is concerned that they may have been exposed to, or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can use the self-assessment tool at covid19.thrive.health before phoning 811.

In B.C., people who do not have symptoms are not being tested.

charnett@timescolonist.com