SARS forces postponement of National Medical Laboratory Week celebrations in Ontario

Hamilton, ON April 11, 2003 A national event to raise awareness about the role of medical laboratory professionals in the health care system has been postponed in Ontario due to the SARS outbreak.

The Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) has announced that National Medical Laboratory Week, scheduled for April 7 to 11, has been postponed in Ontario until September. CSMLS represents 15,000 medical laboratory technologists, scientists and medical laboratory assistants across the country.

“The SARS situation has placed additional demands on medical laboratory staff in Ontario. Special events that had been planned for National Medical Laboratory Week were cancelled because of the restrictions on public access to hospitals,” says Kurt Davis, CSMLS executive director.

Medical Laboratory Week will be celebrated in Ontario from September 15 to 19.