The demand has increased at all Covid-19 testing sites in Illinois, said Kevin Jaques, communications director for HRSupport, the company running the state’s Covid-19 testing project.
“Wait times usually last about an hour, [and] at some sites, up to three to four hours,” he said.
The surge first began in early October followed by another wave at the beginning of November, he added.
The goal is to test every person in line but the increase in demand affects factors like staffing and partner labs, he told CNN.
“In part, it does make people wait more in lines. It delays the testing results as well,” Jaques said Friday.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Jaques said there is also a concern that people won’t follow the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and take basic precautions like wearing masks and social distancing that help keep the number of new Covid-19 cases down.
“We’re concerned that during the holidays people won’t be following these guidelines as much, and in part, increasing the cases of positivity of Covid-19,” he added.
Watch Kevin Jaques interview here:
