Skagway’s tribal government has reported spending more than $200,000 on COVID testing for the community during the pandemic. But last week it made a change in how tests are being done. Instead of sending tests to Sitka for processing, which often took up to several days for results, it’s now happening in Skagway. KHNS’ Mike Swasey talked with the Skagway Traditional Council’s Tribal Administrator Sara Kinjo-Hischer about the advantages of doing that in-house.

Swasey – There’s a couple of new things that the STC is doing, you’ve got some antigen testing capabilities now, tell us what’s new and what’s happening with antigen testing.

Kinjo-Hischer – I think it was around last week, we started to move into testing in-house and it’s strictly under STC’s roof now, and kind of getting away from the SEARHC send-out testing where it was being sent to Sitka. And so currently, we have molecular testing and antigen testing. Molecular testing just takes a little longer, so we don’t always use it. If it’s just travel (related), antigen tests are a lot easier to do and a lot quicker. I am short-staffed through March, the Buckwheat event kind of blindsided me a little bit, but I did decide to open up additional testing on (this) Friday, just for antigen tests for people to get over to Buckwheat.

Swasey – Oh, that’s incredible. And then I want to talk to you about molecular testing. Now is that also known as the PCR test?

Kinjo-Hischer – It’s a different kind of molecular test. It’s not PCR. So there’s a bunch of different kinds of tests that are all molecular, PCR is one kind. That was the ones that we were sending out to Sitka. This one’s definitely NAAT, which is kind of like the overall umbrella for molecular testing.

Swasey – Yeah, and the NAAT testing met the Canadian travel requirements. And so I assume that’s one of the more efficient tests. Is it just as accurate as the PCR tests that you used to do?

Kinjo-Hischer – I would say the PCR is probably the most sensitive, that’s still, in my opinion, the gold standard for detection.

Swasey – Right, but for our community, to send them out all the way to Sitka there was just so many times that, you know, you couldn’t get the test results back before they were expired or didn’t matter anymore. 

Kinjo-Hischer – For traveling purposes right? And now, with the shorter quarantine timeline, it’s even more pertinent to get that test result sooner.

Swasey – Did you have to buy new machines to make this all happen?

Kinjo-Hischer – Yes. All the tests that we do here are over the counter. So they are available to the general public. Basically, what our role would be is for proctoring it and kind of offsetting the cost to the general public, so that cost isn’t a hindrance for testing, because I think the Canadian border needs it to be proctored.

Swasey – Yeah, indeed. Well, this is good news for Canadian travelers that are hoping to come down to Skagway to spend a couple of days and then have to get tested before they go back up because the antigen test only is good for 24 hours, according to the Canadian standard. So, are you doing testing on Mondays?

Kinjo-Hischer – So our testing currently through the end of March is still going to be Tuesdays Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Swasey – So those Canadian travelers could come down on a Saturday and then go back up on a Tuesday. All right, Sara, thanks so much for taking the time. 

Kinjo-Hischer – Thank you

COVID Testing is available through March from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at STC. On Friday, March 11, they are hosting a special testing event for people who want to attend the Buckwheat Ski Classic in Fraser, BC. Testing will be done from noon until 5 p.m. sharp on Friday at the facility on 11th and Broadway. If you’re in line at 5:01 p.m., you won’t get tested. All COVID testing at STC is done first come first serve and is free of charge.