Some report long wait times for COVID-19 test results

Some report long wait times for COVID-19 test results

As more coronavirus tests become available, the wait time for results is growing.

MORE CASES TODAY.AS MORE CORONAVIRUSTESTS BECOME AVAILABLE- THE WAIT TIME FORRESULTS IS GROWINGMORE EXTENSIVE.SOME ARE WAITING MORETHAN 10 DAYS FORERESULTS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER EMMA JAMESEXPLAINS WHY MEDICALPROFESSIONALS SAY AQUICK TURNAROUND TIMEIS SO IMPORTANT.EMMA JAMES, REPORTING"We're here at a testing eventfor restaurant workers put onby the KCMO HealthDepartment.

Healthprofessionals tell us as testinghas become more widelyavailable across the metro it'scausing a lag in result time,which ultimately affectscontact tracing."LAUREN FLANEGIN, WAITING ONCOVID-19 TEST RESULTS"I'm assuming no news isgood news, but I don't knowthat for sure."LAUREN FLANEGIN GOTTESTED THROUGH THECLAY COUNTY HEALTHDEPARTMENT JULY 2ND.SHE SAYS THE TEST WASPRIMARILY FOR HER OWNPEACE OF MIND AFTER ACOWORKER TESTEDPOSITIVE.A WEEK AND A HALF LATER- SHE STILL DOESN'T HAVERESULTS.LAUREN FLANEGIN, WAITING ONCOVID-19 TEST RESULTS"I'm sure they're inundatedwith phone calls, but it justwould be nice to know eitherway."DURING MONDAY'SUNIVERSITY OF KANSASHEALTH SYSTEM UPDATE -DIRECTOR OFMICROBIOLOGY RACHELLIESMAN EXPLAINED WHYGETTING RESULTSQUICKLY IS CRUCIAL.RACHEL LIESMAN, DIRECTOR OFMICROBIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OFKANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM"For contact tracing tomaximally successful, youneed that result in 24, 48,maybe 72 hours really so it'sso important that we continueto support our testinginfrastructure."AT SAINT LUKE'S HEALTHSYSTEM - COVID19OPERATIONS CHAIRMARCH LARSEN SAYS THESYSTEM DOESN'T HAVE ATEST RESULT BACKLOGPROBLEM.IT TESTS FOR PATIENTSBEFORE PROCEDURES AREDONE IN-HOUSE VERSUS ATHIRD PARTY LAB.MARC LARSEN, SAINT LUKE'SHEALTH SYSTEM OPERATIONSCHAIR FOR COVID-19"We know that having a rapidturn around of the test isreallyimportant so we don't have todelay some of these casesthat have already beendelayed for several months."HEALTH PROFESSIONALSARE ENCOURAGING THOSEWAITING FOR RESULTS TOFOLLOW THE DIRECTIONSOF THEIR PROVIDERS.LAUREN'S WAIT TIME ISGOING ON 12 DAYS - BUTSHE SAYS SHE'S STILLBEING AS VIGILANT ASPOSSIBLELAUREN FLANEGIN, WAITING ONCOVID-19 TEST RESULTS"I mean I feel fine, I just, younever know."IN KANSAS CITY, EMMAJAMES, 4