**** NSHA Media Release
Nova Scotia Health laboratories continue to process a high volume of COVID-19 tests. This means many routine or non-urgent laboratory tests have been temporarily reduced or suspended, including routine blood collection and water testing.
People whose tests are required for immediate diagnosis or management of chronic illness, including those receiving chemotherapy, should continue to book appointments for laboratory testing.
People in Central and Eastern zones are asked to not book appointments for routine blood collection until further notice.
Water testing within Central Zone also continues to be temporarily on hold. Also, non-urgent residential water testing is still temporarily suspended at Nova Scotia Health facilities in Western Zone. A list of alternate water testing facilities can be found on the Nova Scotia Department of Environment website: http://novascotia.ca/nse/water/waterlabs.asp
This temporary suspension of routine laboratory testing will continue to be reviewed, and services will be gradually re-introduced when appropriate.
