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Pennsylvania faces challenges expanding COVID-19 testing capacity

As other states experience outbreaks, delays in labs are delayed more than 14 days.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Wolf Administration wants to expand COVID-19 testing across the state, but with backlogs in national labs, they say, it is difficult to effectively test people. 

"We want to continue to expand testing," said Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine. 

Pennsylvania is currently testing about four percent of its population per month for COVID-19, with a goal to increase testing to more than five percent, but that comes with challenges. 

"We had been experiencing delays in getting Pennsylvanian's their results due to national labs becoming overwhelmed by the need for testing in states with outbreaks," said Dr. Levine.

The Wolf Administration says, states with outbreaks are being prioritized by national labs like Quest and LabCorp. Because of this, COVID-19 test results are severely delayed taking upwards of 14 days. 

"Fourteen days is just too long," said Dr. Levine. 

The state is now working with the federal government to try to increase its supply of 're-agents,' which are the main ingredients to detect the virus. Increasing the supply of re-agents could allow more tests to be performed at the state lab in Exton. 

"Rapidly identifying and isolating people who have been infected with COVID-19 is a key part in this deadly virus," said Gov. Tom Wolf. 

Right now, the state's lab prioritizes COVID-19 testing results by needs in the state. 

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