Metro Vancouver sees long lineups at COVID-19 testing centers

Despite COVID-19 cases surging and the holidays fast approaching, COVID-19 testing centers in B.C. are seeing hours long lineups.

According to one Twitter user, Trevor Kramer, when he arrived to a testing center 15 minutes before it opened, 20 people were already forming a line.

So much for the arrive early to avoid the line theory when it comes to COVID testing this morning in Downtown Vancouver (testing place at Hornby and Drake). Facility opens at 9 and ~20 ppl were already in line by 8:45. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/Y7idQDOsGL

— Trevor Kramer (@tkhereandthere) December 19, 2021

The Health Ministry has confirmed significant delays at testing sites in both Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health this weekend, prompting the government to ask people to avoid going to them if they don’t have COVID symptoms.

Infectious Disease expert Dr. Brian Conway says rapid tests would be “an important tool” to mitigate these hours long lineups at testing centers.

“If someone shows up [to a testing center] and they’re asymptomatic — in the time it takes to explain that they don’t need a test — could just as easily have tested and sent them along the way. I think that’s sort of an issue we need to deal with,” he says.

Although the rapid tests are different from the Antigen ones used at testing facilities, Conway says they are still a useful tool.

“If (the rapid test) generates a positive result that means that the individual is infected and we can then go and try to figure out how they became infected, find other people who are infected and interrupt transmission networks,” Conway explains.

However, the infectious disease expert adds rapid tests are not a substitute for vaccinations or disobeying public health recommendations.

Related Articles:

• Health officials work to shorten lineups at Vancouver Coastal Health testing sites

• Expert calls on B.C. for more rapid tests amid soaring COVID-19 cases

Despite providing an extra precaution, Conway suggests rapid tests are not entirely effective.

“The big problem with the rapid test if there is that they produce false negative results. So an individual may have a negative result and still be infected. People might use a negative test result as proof that they are not infected and choose to then congregate with other people who have negative test results.

“I suppose irrespective of vaccination status, it is a recipe to spread COVID.”

The best tool to mitigate the spread of the virus continues to be vaccinations Conway adds.

The province is preparing to update its plans for the use of rapid testing kits in the coming days.