Shortages of lab staff and equipment are still a challenge for meeting the COVID-19 testing capacity announced by the Sask Party Leader last month, in his role as Premier.
That’s according to SEIU-West’s President Barbara Cape who says before the pandemic struck, Saskatoon lab services processed about 4,000 tests a day.
Now they are at around 5,400 tests a day, with COVID-19 tests as a priority.
Without more staff and equipment, Cape feels a backlog of test results is inevitable.
She notes the central intake area for COVID-19 specimens, which was supposed to be set up at St. Paul’s Hospital, remains a vacant 20 by 30 foot room.
SEIU-West members working for the Saskatchewan Health Authority have been without a contract for 3-and-a-half years.