BELLINGHAM, Wash. — The Bellingham Herald reports the federal government diverted COVID-19 test kit materials bound for PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.
A PeaceHealth spokesperson told the Herald the items that were seized included test kit materials St. Joseph and other PeaceHealth hospitals need to run in-house analyzers.
Their equipment is idled without the materials, requiring them to send tests to outside labs and increasing response times.
Longer response times lead to the facilities using scarce PPE while treating patients whose tests later come back negative for the illness.
PeaceHealth says it was notified by its supplier the federal government ordered the materials to be diverted to the East Coast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency told the Herald reports it diverted the shipments are false.