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On Vancouver Island, requests for COVID-19 tests surge

Vancouver Island’s COVID-19 testing call centre is receiving a higher-than-usual number of calls as the number of cases in B.C. rises.
COVID-19 swab
Tests can often be booked on the same day or within a day of initial contact.

Vancouver Island’s COVID-19 testing call centre is receiving a higher-than-usual number of calls as the number of cases in B.C. rises.

Victoria Schmid, vice-president of pandemic planning for Island Health, said that staff are being recruited to ensure the centre can continue to meet demand. The call centre now has between eight and 10 clerks answering phones, and 10 to 12 nurses doing assessments, she said.

Between Monday and Thursday of this week, Island Health’s call centre received an average of 635 calls per day — approximately double the average of the previous three weeks combined, Schmid said.

Calls are coming from throughout Vancouver Island, with larger centres making up the highest percentage of calls, she said.

Wait times are longer in the morning. In the afternoons, there is little to no wait on average days. During peak times, callers can wait up to 45 or 60 minutes to speak with a clerk or nurse, Schmid said.

Tests can often be booked on the same day or within a day of initial contact. After contacting the call centre, the maximum wait time to have a test taken is generally two days.

Schmid said Island Health recognizes the importance of early detection and follow-up in preventing transmission of COVID-19, and is working as quickly as possible to decrease wait times.

As of Thursday, a total of 24,249 calls had come into the call centre.

The call centre number is 1-844-901-8442. It is open Monday to Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Testing for COVID-19 must be pre-booked through a health care provider or, if you don’t have one, through the call centre. Testing sites do not accept walk-ins.