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By Caden Fanshaw

COVID-19

Northern Health launches online COVID-19 test booking system

Oct 5, 2021 | 5:55 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Following a surge in demand for testing in Prince George and Northern BC, Northern Health has launched an online form to sign up for a COVID-19 test.

Many have reported scenarios where they could not get through over the phone to book a COVID-19 test with the old system.

Karen Muir who needed to get her two-year-old daughter a COVID-19 test says she managed to get through the system and get a result in a timely manner but says she knows not everyone was as fortunate as her.

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“I’ve heard of people waiting days to get their tests back,” says Muir.

BC Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry hinted at a change on the horizon last week when asked about the testing and contact tracing backlog facing Northern Health.

Northern Health could not provide details on the testing backlog last week but did say they were facing “a significant increase in call volumes” last week.

On September 28th, Northern Health said “we appreciate callers’ patience, as we make changes to further improve access; recent changes have increased capacity by approximately 100 calls a day, but call volumes remain high and these efforts continue.

You can find the new online form here.

Other health authorities have put COVID-19 testing forms of their own online a long time ago, Fraser Health got their online registration up and running a year ago, and an Interior Health spokesperson said they had the online system for as long as she could remember.