Testing Information

Universal Testing

Testing is part of the Saskatchewan Health Authority's strategy to limit the spread of COVID-19 and is made available to anyone wishing to be tested. You do not need to travel internationally or have symptoms to be tested.

Any individual can be tested. You can get a referral to a community testing centre by phoning:

• HealthLine 811
• Your family physician
• Your nurse practitioner

In Regina and Saskatoon, you can also get tested at a drive-thru testing site without a referral or appointment. See drive-thru information.

Please call your family physician or HealthLine 811 by dialing 811 if you have questions regarding COVID-19 and your health. HealthLine 811 can help you with screening for COVID-19 to determine if a test is recommended for you and refer you for testing if indicated. Testing will be prioritized according to established criteria placing higher priority on referrals that are most urgent, including individuals who are symptomatic or health care workers.

LAUNCH SELF-ASSESSMENT

Testing continues to be strongly recommended for:

• Anyone who has unexplained new or worsening symptoms (even mild symptoms) that may include one or more of the following:
  • fever
  • cough
  • headache
  • muscle and/or joint aches and pains
  • sore throat
  • chills
  • runny nose
  • nasal congestion
  • conjunctivitis
  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • nausea/vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • loss of appetite (difficulty feeding for children)
  • loss of sense of taste or smell
  • shortness of breath
  • difficulty breathing

Testing is also recommended for:

• Patients being admitted to an acute care hospital for a stay anticipated to be greater than 24 hours. This includes all expectant mothers entering a health facility to give birth.
• Symptomatic individuals who are homeless or living in other vulnerable settings.
• Health care workers caring for certain immunocompromised patients.
• Any one working outside the home, including those currently working or returning to work as part of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan, who desires a test.
• Teachers and staff in elementary and high schools, ahead of and during the school year.

Your local public health official may also advise you to be tested if you have been identified as being at risk following contact with someone known or suspected of having COVID-19, or if you have been identified as being at high risk due to the active spread of COVID-19 in your workplace or community. Public health will contact you if you need to be tested under these circumstances.

Everyone should be familiar with self-monitoring and self-isolation precautions in order to keep you and those around you safe.

Please note: Changes to the Public Health Order

A number of changes have been made to the Government of Saskatchewan's Public Health Order for the Control of Transmission of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (September 10, 2020), including:

• All symptomatic persons that have been directed to receive a test for COVID-19 or are awaiting test results shall go into mandatory self-isolation until such time as a Medical Health Officer determines that they no longer pose a public health threat. See Page 2, 1(e).
  
  This change was made to address confusion about whether or not self-isolation is required before a test result is confirmed.

• All persons who are household members or contacts of a person with COVID-19 shall immediately go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days and call HealthLine 811 if they become symptomatic and follow HealthLine 811 directives. See Page 2, 1(h).

Mandatory Self-Isolation

Testing Prioritization

Currently, anyone can request testing. However, testing is prioritized for symptomatic individuals. There is an established criteria placing higher priority on referrals that are most urgent. Test sites will prioritize booking tests for symptomatic patients, those directed by contact teams or MHOs and select other groups. 

For people who are symptomatic, in accordance with the latest expert advice on COVID-19, we need to wait until symptoms have been present for 48 hours before testing to minimize the number of false negatives.

The laboratories follow criteria for prioritizing specimen analysis as well:

• Symptomatic individuals in priority groups (patients in acute care, healthcare workers and first responders, residents in long term care or personal care homes, teachers and educational staff and anyone that Medical Health Officers deem a high priority for testing).
• Symptomatic individuals in all population groups.
• Asymptomatic individuals in priority groups (patients in acute care, healthcare workers and first responders, residents in long term care or personal care homes, teachers and educational staff, people who are part of a contact tracing, outbreak or cluster investigation).
• Asymptomatic individuals in all population groups.

If you have questions about COVID-19, you can:

• Call HealthLine 811
• Call your family physician
• Access the most up-to-date news and information on www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19
• Email COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca

Testing for COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is available by referral from HealthLine 811 or a health care provider. Additional testing options are now also being offered.

• You can still receive a referral for COVID-19 testing through HealthLine 811 or a health care provider. That referral will help you access an appointment at a testing site in your community.
• You can access drive-thru testing in Regina or Saskatoon.
• Some smaller communities offer options for testing such as drive-thru sites, pop-up sites or walk-in sites. These testing options are advertised within those communities in advance of the days they are offered.
• In response to an increase in cases in specific settings or areas, the SHA may offer mobile or pop-up site testing (eg. schools, workplaces, communities).

Patients are advised to use this self-assessment tool to determine if they should be tested for COVID-19. Those who fit the criteria and suspect they may have COVID-19 can obtain a referral to a community testing site by phoning 811 or contacting their family physician or nurse practitioner.

Addresses for specific for COVID-19 Testing sites and COVID-19 Assessment and Treatment Centres are provided to patients after referrals are made and testing is booked. Patients will be informed of the address during those conversations.

Testing Sites: Testing locations perform COVID-19 screening and testing only. No patient assessment or care is performed at these locations. Some communities may offer walk-in or pop-up testing sites; those will be advertised in advance.

For information on testing in schools, please review the Safe Schools Plan.

Information updated November 9, 2020

• Testing is universally available to anyone who requests it, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.
• The drive-thru testing sites will not require a referral from HealthLine 811 or a family physician or nurse practitioner; however, a valid health card and/or identification will be requested for each person getting tested.
• The drive-thru sites will also be first come, first served so it is likely that anyone wanting to get tested can expect some wait times.
• These drive-thru testing sites are one of the ways the SHA is expanding the options for people to get tested for COVID-19 to reach the testing targets of 4000 tests performed per day.
• Collectively, Regina and Saskatoon account for approximately half of our provincial testing each day.
• Please note there are no public washrooms available at the Drive-Thru Test Sites.
• Please wear a mask while at the site.

Locations and Hours of Operations

Drive-Thru Testing Sites Q&A
Regina Drive-Thru Testing Site Map
Saskatoon Drive-Thru Testing Site Map
Yorkton Drive-Thru Testing Site Map

COVID-19 test results are conducted at multiple locations around the province within Saskatchewan Health Authority laboratories, including the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory. When results are positive, the local Medical Health Officer and the ordering physician are quickly informed. Patients with positive test results will be notified of their results by medical authorities.

The laboratories prioritize COVID-19 tests from symptomatic individuals before most asymptomatic testing. We are working to maintain a 24-48 hour turnaround time for test results from symptomatic COVID-19 suspected cases. Delays in results of asymptomatic screening tests may be expected depending on demand.

Factors such as the volume of tests being processed or the distance the test is transported may affect the length of time it takes to notify the patient.

Test Results for Travellers

• The Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority are still advising against unnecessary travel, especially internationally. However, if you do decide to travel, it is important to follow the recommended travel guidelines.
• The SHA is working hard to provide test results in a timely manner. However, it takes time to process and analyze tests and testing is prioritized for symptomatic individuals before asymptomatic testing.
• It is unlikely that getting results should take more than seven days. However, if you require proof of a negative COVID-19 test before your flight, research the requirements of the airline as well as your destination (as they may be different). Take into account testing and test result turnaround time as you plan your travel.

If you would like to receive your COVID-19 test results online, sign up for MySaskHealthRecord at eHealthsask.ca. Click on the blue "MySaskHealthRecord" button in the middle of the page.

We understand that residents have questions about COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.

If you have questions about COVID-19 or your health, please call your family physician or healthcare provider or HealthLine 811.

Public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca