The owner of Milwaukee-based Hayat Pharmacy is considering a shift to provide 24-hour COVID-19 testing amid high demand, local ABC News affiliate WISN reported Dec. 29.
Hayat Pharmacy CEO Hashim Zaibak, PharmD, told the news outlet that one of its locations was testing about 200 people per day before Christmas. On Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, the pharmacy tested about 1,400 people each day.
"We've had to move people from other departments to help with testing. We shifted them from billing and other locations to come and help," Dr. Zaibak told WISN. "Plus, we've been hiring a lot of people. It's to the point where I'm telling my human resources, if they have a pulse, get them on board."
The pharmacy has already been expanding hours past the usual 5 p.m. closing time to accommodate long testing lines and is now considering a temporary expansion to 24-hour testing that may start Jan. 1.
"There are people who work second shift and third shift and for some people, the normal testing hours are not convenient," Dr. Zaibak said. "I think it's time now, at least short term, to take care of the omicron surge, to increase the hours."