Helping clear the backlog: ER doctor sets up volunteer COVID-19 test site in New Brunswick

DIEPPE, N.B. -

As cases continue to climb in New Brunswick, so do the wait times for those wanting to be tested for COVID-19.

In an attempt to help with the backlog an ER doctor and her team of nurses are volunteering their time with a drive-thru testing site in Dieppe.

The testing site is organized by Dr. Isabelle-Anne Girouard.

She works at the George L. Dumont hospital in Moncton and is in charge of recruiting doctors to help at the Moncton Coliseum, the city's main testing site.

" knew that we had a backflow, so we were backlogged and the demand was getting too high for what we were ready for," said Girouard.

The lineup began early Thursday behind a shutdown daycare in Dieppe, but the wait time for a COVID-19 test is much more manageable than other sites in New Brunswick.

"We basically just showed up and within 10 minutes, we were both tested - my daughter and I," said Jean-Michel Allain.

Girouard says since the recent spike in cases across the province, assessment centres are seeing demands for hundreds of tests daily.

Some have said they've waited more than a week to book a test and even longer to get results.

"Two weeks ago we had an experience where my daughter had COVID symptoms and it took five days to get a test and two or three days to get results. So this is pretty amazing," said Allain.

The initiative is completely volunteer-driven.

"This is unpaid, it’s just people who want to help the community because we know you guys need to get testing, and the more efficient that we can be, the better it is for everyone," said Girouard.

The first clinic was held Wednesday morning with a total of 120 people receiving a test.

"This morning we’ve definitely swabbed more than 120 already, but it’ll probably be around that every morning, hopefully," Girouard.

While Girouard says no one will be turned away, for the time being, the team wants to focus on testing people with symptoms or those who have been in close contact with a confirmed case.

"We don’t want at this point to swab everyone. The lab is also underwater, I mean, everyone is working extra hours, so we wanted to find this specific good population to get started with," she said.

Girouard and her team will be at the drive-thru testing site every morning between 7 and 9 a.m. until this coming Sunday.

She say she’s hopeful that the five days of testing they’re providing will help the system catch up to the overwhelming demand on the system right now.