PM Addresses Backlog of COVID Test Results

Dean Barrow

Turning to COVID-19…the frustrations shared by many who have had to be swabbed and tested for COVID-19 include the lengthy waiting time for results to be made available.  With the sudden increase in cases and a singular testing facility in the country, there has been a growing backlog of pending results.  The accumulation of tests has prompted the Ministry of Health to reconsider its approach in mitigating existing constraints.  According to PM Barrow, the backlog should begin to clear up as of this weekend.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“A recent surge, the number of tests done has become, comparatively speaking, astronomical.  It is clear that we are being overwhelmed in terms of our capacity constraints.  We only have one central lab, a few regular PCR machines and a limited number of trained operators to process the samples.  Thus, the situation has now overtaken us where outside of obvious emergencies, people have had to wait considerable time to be swabbed and perhaps even longer to get results.  I am very pleased to hear Dr. Marvin Manzanero indicate… that we are basically working down the backlog that ensued in consequence of the surge and in consequence of what I call this astronomical rise in the tests that we have needed to do, that swabbing that we have needed to do and the processing of samples that we have needed to do.  Still, for example, I don’t think that we are completely out of the woods, my point is that in any event you are going to see as from this weekend a lessening of the waiting times, both for swabbing and for test results.”