KING COUNTY, Wash. — Several COVID-19 testing sites in King County are seeing an increase in demand with just days until the holidays and a surge in omicron cases.
UW Medicine operates many of Seattle's and King County's testing sites and says it's been preparing for the winter surge since fall, adding two new testing centers in Shoreline and Lake Sammamish.
The recently opened Shoreline site went from 500 tests a day two weeks ago to 600 tests a day last week to now 1,300 tests on Sunday.
Jennifer Greenwood is the senior remote testing site manager at the University of Washington. She said that in addition to the new locations, they've been planning for additional staff.
"We added an hourly floor pool. So, if our regular staff goes on vacation, then we just fill in behind, and that gives us flexibility to increase and decrease staffing as volumes go up and down," explained Greenwood.
In addition to staffing changes, many testing locations expanded their hours, and some are even testing on Sundays.
Still, Greenwood says they're asking for everyone's patience.
"We will get you tested, but there will be a wait because we're trying to accommodate the whole community and to make sure everyone that wants a test can get a test," said Greenwood, who adds making an appointment online will help speed up their process.
While testing locations are closed on Christmas and New Years' day, Greenwood said labs run 24/7 so results will still be given.
Greenwood also said UW Medicine continues to hire testing staff in case demand continues to increase as omicron spreads.
"We are seeing more people, about half coming in with symptoms," said Greenwood.