State Patrol loans equipment to UW to help increase COVID-19 testing

ThermoFisher 7500 testing units
were loaned to the UW from WSP

On Friday, March 27, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) Crime Laboratory Division provided the University of Washington (UW) Medical Center with critical equipment to increase COVID-19 testing.

The UW Virology department currently processes about two to three-thousand COVID-19 clinical samples a day. 

With this number expected to increase, the department was in need of additional ThermoFisher ‘7500’ testing units. 

Due to high demand for the units, the company is experiencing an inability to fill requests for them.

After being contacted by ThermoFisher, The WSP’s Vancouver Crime Lab DNA Section identified two units as available and loaned those to the UW. 

These were new units slated for the WSP High-Throughput Laboratory, but they are not scheduled to be placed in service until June, so there will be no impact to current operations at the lab.

“It is important that WSP helped to enhance the public health of our citizens during this time of crisis,” said WSP Chief John Batiste. 

“Our Crime Laboratory teams are committed to making a difference every day for the health and safety of all Washingtonians, and this partnership is a great example of their dedication.”