The Texas newborn screening lab will close Wednesday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day, but hospitals and other specimen submitters should not wait to collect or ship newborn screening samples.
The Texas Department of State Health Services notice says testing and reporting will resume Thursday, Nov. 12. The agency directs submitters to ship dried specimens within 24 hours of collection and recommends an overnight or trackable service.
The closure changes the laboratory processing clock for one day. It does not change the collection schedule at a hospital, birth center or community birth setting.
Texas newborn screening lab timeline
| Step | What DSHS says | Date or time rule |
|---|---|---|
| Collect the specimen | Do not delay collection because of the closure | Follow the normal clinical collection schedule |
| Prepare it for transport | Allow the card to dry and package it under the normal specimen procedure | Do not hold a ready specimen for the holiday |
| Ship it | Send dried specimens within 24 hours of collection | Use an overnight or trackable service when available |
| Laboratory testing | No testing on Veterans Day | Closed Wednesday, Nov. 11 |
| Results and reporting | Routine work resumes after the holiday | Thursday, Nov. 12 |
The Daily Quill assembled the sequence from the Nov. 4 closure notice and DSHS specimen guidance. It is a workflow reference for submitters, not individualized medical advice for a newborn.
What the closure does not mean
The Texas newborn screening lab notice uses direct language: do not delay collection or shipment. A facility should not interpret the closed laboratory as permission to postpone a newborn screen until Nov. 12.
DSHS says dried specimens should be shipped within 24 hours of collection. If a mail or courier service is unavailable, the specimen should go out as soon as that service resumes. The agency names USPS Priority Mail, FedEx and UPS as examples of overnight or trackable options.
That distinction matters because specimen collection, carrier movement and state testing are separate steps. A closure at the testing laboratory does not necessarily close a hospital laboratory, the hospital’s specimen collection operation or every shipping carrier.
Local facilities still need to check their own carrier pickup schedule. The state notice does not promise that every courier route will operate on the federal holiday.
Which contact handles which question
DSHS publishes a contact list that separates general laboratory questions from supplies, results, courier service and time-critical support.
| Need | DSHS contact route |
|---|---|
| General newborn screening laboratory information | 512-776-7585 |
| Collection-kit ordering | 512-776-7661 |
| Results and reports during posted business hours | 512-776-7578 |
| Courier services | 512-776-6030 |
| Abnormal results and clinical follow-up | 512-776-3957 |
| Time-critical testing questions after hours | 512-776-7676 |
Facilities should use the official DSHS page to verify the current email address paired with each team. The contact table was posted separately from the holiday notice and can be updated by the agency.
A separate kit deadline is approaching
The same DSHS notices page also identifies a different deadline for collection kits whose serial numbers begin with 22. Those kits expire Dec. 31, 2026. DSHS says the date of specimen collection on a 22-series kit must be Dec. 31 or earlier.
Beginning Jan. 1, the laboratory will reject a 22-series kit when its collection date is after the expiration date, which would require recollection. That inventory issue is separate from the Nov. 11 closure, but both notices give facilities a reason to check supplies and shipping plans now.
Parents or guardians who have questions about a baby’s screening should contact the baby’s health care provider. The laboratory notice is written for the statewide screening workflow and does not replace a clinician’s instructions.
For providers and specimen submitters, the next operational checkpoint is Nov. 12, when the Texas newborn screening lab says testing and reporting will resume. Any later change should be verified on the DSHS notices page before a facility alters its collection or shipping procedure.
Other verified service notices are collected on the Health and Wellness desk.
