Demand in COVID-19 tests could cause continued result delays

As coronavirus cases surge in Kansas and Missouri, an increase in testing demand is causing slowdowns at commercial labs.

BUT THERE ARE PLENTYOF OPENINGS.AS DISTRICTS CONTINUETO FIGURE OUT WHATSCHOOL WILL LOOK LIKE INTHE FALL...A GRIM WARNING FROMONE OF THE COUNTRY'SLARGEST COVID-19TESTING COMPANIES.THE TURN-AROUND TIMESFOR TESTING COULD BESEVERELY DELAYED IN THEMONTHS TO COME41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ARIELROTHFIELD EXPLAINS WHYYOU MAY HAVE TO WAIT TOGET YOUR RESULTS.EVERY DAY IT'S A PARADEOF PEOPLE, TRYING TOGET TESTED FOR COVID-19AND EVERY DAY THEREARE FOLKS WHO HAVE TOBE TURNED AWAYFrank Thompson/ Deputy Directorofthe Kansas City HealthDepartmentBecause we've run out oftests at those locationsTHE DEMAND FOR TESTINGCAUSING A DELAY INTURNAROUND TIMESIN KANSAS CITY, THEHEALTH DEPARTMENTSAYS THE AVERAGETURNAROUND TIME HASJUMPED FROM 3 TO 5DAYS TO 5 TO 9 DAYSCOMPARING THE TESTINGPROCESS TO A FUNNELFrank Thompson/ Deputy Directorofthe Kansas City HealthDepartmentWe can increase the top of afunnel as much as we want byoffering more testing but if weare not dealing with thebottom of the funnel, thenumber of labs and thecapacity of labs to processthose tests, then the funnel isjust going to get backed upWHICH IS EXPECTED TOGET WORSE IN THE FALLQUEST DIAGNOSTICS ISONE OF THE LARGESTLABORATORY COMPANIESIN THE COUNTRY- WITH ALAB LOCATED IN LENEXATHROUGH A SERIES OFEMAILS, A SPOKESPERSONTELLS 41 ACTION NEWS:THE COMPANYANTICIPATES A SURGE INDEMAND DURING THEAUTUMN FLU SEASON,BUT WILL NOT BE IN APOSITION TO REDUCETURNAROUND TIMES WITHCURRENTLY AVAILABLETECHNOLOGYWRITING: "THIS IS NOTJUST A QUEST ISSUE.

THESURGE IN COVID-19 CASESAFFECTS THELABORATORY INDUSTRY ASA WHOLE."Frank Thompson/ Deputy Directorofthe Kansas City HealthDepartmentWe're not going to test ourway out of this crisis.

Eveninitial results on vaccinediscovery are promising, that'snot going to be here in tienough to ensure that schoolswill safely reopenTO AVOID DELAYS IN BOTHTEST RESULS ANDSCHOOLS OPENING,THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTSAYS GETTINGCOMMUNITY SPREADUNDER CONTROL IS KEY.Frank Thompson/ Deputy Directorofthe Kansas City HealthDepartmentGiven our trend line rightnow, unless as a communitywe are able to bend the curve,really get folks to wear theirmasks and maintain socialdistancing and eliminaunnecessary gatherings andsocializing, and really get thecommunity spread undercontrol, yes we will continue tosee increases into the fallREPORTING IN Kansas City.ARIEL ROTHFIELD.

41ACTION NEWSTODAY WE CHECKED INWITH JOHNSON COUNTYDEPARTMENT OF HEALTHAND ENVIRONMENT.IT REPORTED MASSIVEDELAYS IN TESTINGTURNAROUNDS EARLIERTHIS MONTH.