MINNEAPOLIS — Last Monday, the community COVID testing site at the airport stopped accepting walk-ins due to overwhelming demand.
That demand seems to have only gotten stronger over the past seven days.
The opening of two new community testing sites was supposed to ease the load, with appointments difficult to find within the metro this week.
Anoka opened last week, but currently do not have any appointments available, according to the state's testing scheduler site.
North Branch opened today with a promising number of appointment slots, and the one in Cottage Grove is expected to open Thursday.
Today the Minnesota Department of Health released the following statement, regarding the demand and turnaround time on tests.
"Demand for testing is incredibly high across the entire country. We’re working with our entire testing network, including Vault and IBX, to ensure we can meet Minnesotans’ needs during this unprecedented period.
Minnesotans who utilize COVID-19 PCR testing through Vault – either at a state community testing site or through our at-home testing program – can continue to expect results within approximately 24-72 hours from processing at the lab. Minnesotans can find other testing resources near them – including pharmacies, clinics, and other sources – using the Find Testing Locations page at https://mn.gov/covid19/get-tested/testing-locations/index.jsp
Each of us has the power to help protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19. First and foremost, getting vaccinated and boosted is the strongest tool we have to prevent against severe illness. Find a vaccination location at mn.gov/vaccine."
Community testing aside, testing at home still remains a challenge.
Folks say they are experiencing shipping delays, with their samples taking longer to arrive at labs. VAULT Health CEO Jason Feldman said last week that the omicron surge was not one everyone was expecting.
"The state has been wonderful in fact, I would say that Minnesota has probably been among the top in all states across the country in being proactive in making sure there are testing sites at home test programs and other ways the state can make it possible for people to feel safe," Feldman said last Monday. "This omicron variant has happened so fast, we're being responsive to new and creative ideas that the governor and his team have on making more testing available, and as quickly as we can move, the state is making it possible so residents don't have to pay."
With the surge in full swing, delays have reportedly continued. IBX, the lab partner running VAULT's Oakdale lab shared in a statement that there is a good reason behind the delays — that over half of their staff has been affected by COVID.
The statement reads:
"IBX’s Oakdale lab, like other testing labs throughout Minnesota, is experiencing enormous testing demand [fueled] by the delta and omicron surge. In addition, IBX is experiencing significant shortages in our Oakdale lab staffing due to positive cases of COVID-19 (over 50% of the lab’s staff have been impacted over the last few days). Staff safety is of paramount concern and we are following CDC guidelines for self-isolation and return to work. IBX is working as hard as possible to ensure that Minnesotans’ test results are not delayed as a result of current circumstances. IBX is leveraging existing staff to cover shortfalls, deploying staff from IBX’s NJ lab, and is recruiting and onboarding additional staff as quickly as possible. That said, we expect that there will be some delays in getting results to Minnesotans and ask for patience as we work through this difficult period.
IBX has a lab in Piscataway, New Jersey, that is experiencing similar testing demand and staffing shortages. At this point we have not sent samples from our Minnesota lab to New Jersey for processing. IBX does not handle shipping and logistics so cannot comment on samples being sent through Kentucky by UPS. We suggest that you ask Vault Health who has shipping and logistics responsibility under our agreement with the State of Minnesota."
In response specifically to the shipping delays, MDH released another statement that reads in part:
"With demand for at-home testing so high all across the U.S. as well as in other parts of the world, and with illnesses affecting every sector of the economy, it's not surprising that we might see occasional slowdowns or interruptions in service. We are working with our partners to address concerns. It's important for people who have at-home tests in their closets or drawers to use them if they need a test."
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