Dahl Memorial Clinic in Skagway. Photo by Mike Swasey.
Test kit supply issues have caused Skagway’s clinic to stop offering COVID-19 screening for travelers planning to cross the border into Canada. The clinic is prioritizing tests for people at higher risk of catching the coronavirus.
Borough officials announced late on Thursday that due to a nationwide test supply shortage, the clinic will begin prioritizing tests for only those at high risk of infection, specifically those people that show symptoms or are close contacts of infected individuals.
Canada requires a recent negative test as well as proof of vaccination for U.S. citizens entering the country for non-essential travel. Skagway clinic officials weren’t answering questions on Friday.
But Dr. Lisa Rabinowitz, staff physician with the state public health COVID-19 vaccine Task Force, was able to discuss the global testing shortages currently affecting Skagway. She says state public health is making inroads to address the problem.
“They were able to source a few more resources over the last week. So I think it’s starting to slowly turn around. I think there’s just such a surge right now in the, you know, internationally, and then definitely in the United States that we’re just completely stretched for resources,” said Rabinowitz.
Skagway’s clinic is switching the type of test they typically offer to another type of molecular test because of the shortage. Rabinowitz says the new NAAT test would satisfy Canadian travel requirements, once the supply issue is addressed.
The Skagway Traditional Council has also limited its testing. With extreme weather rolling through the region and the processing facility located in Sitka, Skagway’s tribal government was worried that the tests would not get processed in time.
That led management at the STC to make the call to cancel testing on Thursday. If the tests don’t get processed within 72 hours they become obsolete, but the tribal government is still on the hook for the full cost of each $175 test.
STC says it will once again make the tests available to the public starting Tuesday, September 28. Their typical testing nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays will resume, however, appointments will be limited due to a temporary staffing shortage.
Both the Dahl Memorial Clinic and the STC are asking Skagway residents to get tested at one of the two facilities, but not both. STC management says the double testing becomes a major strain on local resources.
STC has also signified that though they have ample testing supplies for the short-term, they may have to reduce testing in the future if their supply chain diminishes.
Skagway officials announced one additional COVID-19 case on Thursday bringing the current active case count to four.
Haines announced two additional cases on Thursday bringing their active case count to 16. Haines officials also announced they will not have newly updated numbers until late next week.
Haines Borough interim manager Alekka Fullerton wrote in her manager’s report on Thursday that there are several unvaccinated people in town that are very sick with COVID, but no official numbers were released in support of that claim. She also implored the community to wear masks where social distancing isn’t possible and to utilize vaccines as the best defense against the virus.
Klukwan continues to have no active cases as of Friday afternoon.
Testing is available for high-risk individuals at the Dahl Memorial Clinic in Skagway by appointment. Testing is available for everyone at the Skagway Traditional Council from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, appointments are available but limited. Testing in Haines is available at SEARHC by appointment, and the next testing day in Klukwan is Tuesday, September 28.
