Inaccessibility of COVID-19 testing in Pullman

PULLMAN, Wash. – Something on all of our minds as the omicron variant takes over the
U.S…COVID-19 testing in Pullman, or should I say, the lack thereof?

“The tests are getting a little more hard to come by,” said Dale Pickard, a pharmacist at Sid’s
Pharmacy.

Sid’s Pharmacy is one of the few places in Pullman where you can find out if you’re positive or
negative, along with Incyte Diagnostics, Walgreens in Moscow, and the occasional rapid test
from Walmart, if they are available. But truly, they’re hard to come by, as Pickard said.

If you want to go through Pullman Regional Hospital, or as a student through WSU, Incyte
Diagnostics handles the testing. But with PRH, you need an appointment and a doctor’s note, and
through WSU, you might be waiting a couple days just to get an appointment.

All over the country, we’ve been seeing a high demand for COVID testing, and our testing
facilities aren’t prepared for that demand as omicron has been surging. By the time you’ve got an

appointment, you have to wait for results. By that time, you could’ve waited up to a week to
know.

Locals and students alike have become stressed out from scouring the city for a COVID test, and
some are coming up short. As our COVID numbers go higher and higher, it’s not unlikely that you’re positive.