On Wednesday, September 30, 2020 the Hawai’i Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 performed a site visit of three local laboratories located on the island of Oahu with the purpose of learning more about the testing capacity, policies, and procedures used among each of the labs.
Members of the Committee were able to receive informational tours of Oahu's primary laboratory facilities of the Department of Health's Laboratory Division, Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii, and Diagnostic Laboratory Services. The committee discussed the current and future testing capacity of each facility, as well as where the state should invest in additional infrastructure and resources.
“As we begin to consider easing some of the restrictions levied on our state, we must first be assured that we are in the right capacity to deal with any consequences, should we face a surge,” said Senator Donovan Dela Cruz. “My committee colleagues and I wanted to see firsthand the ability of these labs to handle a resurgence in case numbers, and what procedures are in place in order to prevent further complications during these already uncertain times.”