How could opening the border to Canadians impact Whatcom’s COVID testing availability?

With the U.S. less than two weeks away from allowing vaccinated Canadian citizens to cross the border on Nov. 8, Whatcom County will ask Washington state for aid to help prepare for an anticipated increased demand on its COVID-19 testing facilities. Testing for travel purposes is already accounting for approximately 50% of all tests ordered within the county, Whatcom County Health Director Erika Lautenbach told the Whatcom County Council during its Tuesday, Oct. 26, meeting, when she announced the plans to ask the state for aid for additional personnel to support additional testing within the county.

“We’re also seeing that about 50% of the travel-related tests are for non-Whatcom residents,” Lautenbach told the council. “So we do recognize that we’re providing not just a county service, but a regional service for folks who want to go to Canada or travel elsewhere.”