Wait watchers Free Press launches crowd-sourced tracker for wait times at city's COVID-19 testing locations

I hate waiting in lines. And while I haven’t had to get a COVID test, I can only imagine what it’s been like for thousands of Manitobans stuck in hours-long queues before the deep nasal swab could be administered.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2020 (1449 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I hate waiting in lines. And while I haven’t had to get a COVID test, I can only imagine what it’s been like for thousands of Manitobans stuck in hours-long queues before the deep nasal swab could be administered.

As our reporting has made clear in recent days, the long-promised increase in testing capacity isn’t just around the corner. So we are doing what we can to help those wondering how long it is going to take to get a test.

It would be nice if provincial officials were posting wait times at the various centres to better inform the public. But since they’re not, we are filling the void.

We’ve created a COVID testing wait time tracker that will allow you to get a better sense of how much time you’ll need to set aside before you get into line.

The wait time tracker shows the average wait time reported by Winnipeggers for each testing location in the city.
The wait time tracker shows the average wait time reported by Winnipeggers for each testing location in the city.

If you’re in line for a test, share your estimated wait using our easy form, located at wfp.to/covidwait. It takes just a moment – you only need to report your location and wait time.

If you’re planning to go for a test, visit wfp.to/covidwait to see wait times fellow Winnipeggers have reported. We hope this will help you choose a site where you’ll spend the least time in line.

The more people use the tracker, the more accurate it will be. Please share the link far and wide so we can get the best data possible to make things easier for Manitobans waiting to get a COVID-19 test.

We will keep the tracker on our website so everyone can access it free of charge before heading out for a COVID-test.

Paul Samyn

Paul Samyn
Editor

Paul Samyn has been part of the Free Press newsroom for more than a quarter century, working his way up after starting as a rookie reporter in 1988.

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