Some Yukoners waited hours in lineup at Whitehorse COVID-19 drive-thru testing centre

Not everyone needs to get tested for COVID-19 in Yukon, officials said Wednesday, but that hasn't stopped the long lineups at Whitehorse's drive-thru testing site.

This week, a long line of cars waited by the testing centre off the Alaska Highway. On Wednesday afternoon, a lineup of cars stretched about two city blocks at one point.

COVID-19 testing capabilities are being strained right across Canada, and Premier Sandy Silver said during a Wednesday news conference that in Yukon, it's no different.

"Again, exacerbating that is the cold temperatures as well. So we do recognize that there is a strain on the testing," Silver said. 

Extreme cold weather warnings have been issued in parts of the territory this week, with temperatures dropping to -42 C in Whitehorse on Wednesday. Even then, people lined up in their vehicles, waiting for their turn at a drive-through testing centre.

Among those waiting were Diane Nadina and her family, who waited in their car for about seven hours on Tuesday. Nadina said they got in line around 10:30 a.m. and didn't leave until 5:30 p.m.

She said she watched movies and even at one point fell asleep in the car while waiting her turn.

Nadina thinks the government should either start handing out rapid tests to people or open a second testing site.

The surge in testing comes as the territory reported a record-high number of known active cases — 325.

Dr. Catherine Elliott, Yukon's acting chief medical officer of health, said Wednesday there are many other cases undiagnosed throughout the territory, where the positivity rate sits at about 35 per cent.

Previously, and throughout much of the pandemic, officials had been urging anyone with symptoms to get tested. But now, Elliott said those with strong immunity, such as people who are fully vaccinated, don't need to be tested anymore. If they have symptoms, they can assume they have COVID-19 and self-isolate at home for seven days.

She said people who need to be tested are those at risk of serious illness along with people who work with vulnerable populations. 

"With community transmission of Omicron and exposures possible in many places, we're at the point that you can safely assume you have COVID if you have symptoms, and most people won't need a test," she said.

'People are frustrated'

Meanwhile when it comes to the long lineups for the testing centre in Whitehorse, NDP leader Kate White said it's possible some people who attempted to wait in line "probably" didn't make it into the testing centre before it would have closed for the day.

"So, is there a way to streamline that process? Can documents that need to be filled out be handed out to cars as they wait?" she said. "Is it possible to put up a sign that says, you know, from this point forward, it's still a two-hour wait?"

She said there are some things the government has done well during the pandemic and those lessons could be applied to the testing site.

"For example, the COVID vaccination centre itself is running like a well-oiled machine. So, take our lessons learned from that, and maybe take it towards the testing facility," she said.

Brad Cathers, the official opposition critic for health and social services, said he's hearing complaints of the long lines from constituents.

"People are frustrated about the wait times for testing," he said.

The Yukon stands in "stark contrast" to much of the country, he said, when it comes to the lack of access to rapid testing kits to the public. "And really, [there's] no clear explanation from the government on why that is."

"It's really not clear at this point in time, how much of the current outbreak in cases could have been prevented if those rapid testing kits had been made available," Cathers said. "But I think it's fair to say that some people would have made different decisions if they had access to rapid testing kits."

He also said more should have been done to help with surge capacity and to assist the staff that are working at the testing site. 

"Whether it's asking for assistance from the military, or having people from other department areas assisting with some parts. Even with, for example, handing around the testing kits," he said.

At-home test kits

Elliott acknowledged the demand for COVID-19 testing, and said there would be more information about accessing rapid tests in the coming days. 

As well, Silver said the Yukon is getting its "fair share" of rapid test kits the federal government announced on Wednesday. He said more details on "what we're getting will come out of health and social services, but these tests are on their way."

Elliott said the territory is working on developing access to rapid home testing kits for those who want them. And she said the government has just under 5,000 self administered rapid antigen tests remaining from the initial shipment from the federal government.

"These have been and are being used to limit spread and outbreaks and settings where there's high risk of spread," she said.

Anyone who does test positive on a rapid antigen test is positive for COVID-19, she said. Those who test negative but have been exposed or have symptoms could still be positive.