COVID-19 testing labs at UO, OSU will more than double state’s capacity

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The new year will bring Oregon more than double its current COVID-19 testing capacity, as new or expanded labs come online over the next few weeks at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.

The $4.5 million lab projects, funded by federal COVID-19 relief dollars and other federal aid approved by state lawmakers this fall, are expected to be in operation by year's end in Corvallis and next month in Eugene, The Oregonian/Oregon Live reported Saturday.

The facilities at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact in Eugene and the Oregon Veterinary Diagnoistic Laboratory in Corvallis will address an issue seen since the pandemic hit -- Oregon's lack of adequate labs or testing to meet daily demand.

According to state documents, Oregon as of mid-November was completing 18,500 tests a day, but needed 8,000 more. The Oregon Health Authority has reported a rise in testing since then, and the new labs should result in faster results, the newspaper reported.