Nationwide Backlog Of Coronavirus Test Results Impacting Pittsburgh Area
ELIZABETH, Pa. (KDKA) - Results from some coronavirus tests continue to take longer and longer to get -- often more than a week. It all depends on where the test is taken.
So if you get a COVID test and don't get a result until several weeks later, what's the benefit?
When Lori Berlinghof's mother Greta cracked her spinal column, Lori decided to move her entire family back home to Elizabeth from New York City to see her mom through her recovery.
"My family decided to come back here because we didn't want her in a nursing home with COVID-19 because I have five friends who died (of COVID-19) and I wanted to take care of my mom," she said.
To make sure they did not infect her mom with COVID, Lori and her husband came to the CVS minute clinic in Belle Vernon to be tested for the virus. That was on July 15, and they're still waiting for the results.
"Five days have passed -- nothing. Seven days have passed -- nothing. Fourteen days have passed -- nothing. And then finally I was like, 'it doesn't even matter if the test results come back now because it's been so long,'" she said.
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It's not an isolated case. CVS acknowledges backlogs and delays nationwide since the virus spiked in the south and the southwest. A CVS spokesperson tells KDKA's Andy Sheehan the delays can take six to 10 days or longer, but they're trying to shorten that.
"We are working with our lab partners to address this backlog and actively searching for — and in discussions with — new partners to cut down wait times. We're hopeful of making progress in delivering faster results," says a CVS spokesperson.
But CVS isn't alone. Other testing services like Quest Diagnostics are experiencing delays as well.
Some of the cases reported daily by the county and state health departments are a much as three weeks old and of no help to people who'd like to return to work or keep other safe.
"I just find it really alarming. I don't understand how is this benefiting the country. How is that making anyone safe? And it's such a waste of money," Lori said.
