British Columbians 70 years of age and older will have access to free COVID-19 rapid tests at pharmacies across the province starting on Friday.
The access to the rapid antigen test kit, which contains five tests, will also expand to the younger population in B.C. as supply grows, B.C.’s Health Minister Adrian Dix announced on Wednesday.
Unlike many other provinces in the country that had offered rapid testing kits free to the public late last year, B.C. preferred to keep its supply targeted at vulnerable populations such as residents at long-term care and assisted-living facilities, and most people didn’t have access to the tests.
“This week, we’re adding community distribution channels through community pharmacy to make more tests accessible to the full population,” Mr. Dix said at a briefing.
“Increased test availability means more members of the general public will be able to access tests to use to understand their own symptoms and illness, and take action to limit transmission to their friends, family and work, including those at higher risk.”
Individuals are required to present BC Services Card at the pharmacy when they pick up test kits. There will be a limit of one kit per person within a 28-day period.
Mr. Dix said more than 865,000 tests have already been prepositioned to a pharmacy distributor from which pharmacies can order and receive stocks. He noted it is expected that the number of locations will grow rapidly with time and supply.
Mr. Dix said B.C. has received 22,242,902 tests as of Feb. 22, and has deployed 14,843,222 tests, with nearly 7.4 million left in inventory. He noted 550,000 of these tests are not suitable for home use and will be continued to be used by public health.
He said the province is expecting 12 million more tests in the next four weeks, or 3 million a week.
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However, the distribution data from the federal government show discrepancies: 27,347,506 tests had been shipped to B.C. as of Feb. 11, according to Health Canada.
Besides long-term care and assisted-living facilities, the majority of the tests have been used to support COVID-19 testing sites, health care workers and rural, remote and Indigenous communities, Mr. Dix said.
Last week, the provincial government also announced additional distribution – 5.9 million tests – through K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions.
Moving forward, each student will get a box of five tests, said Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry.
“I think it is a tool that it’s not going to solve all our problems, but it is something that people can use to help them make decisions and it will help us through this next few weeks and months,” she said.
Dr. Henry and Mr. Dix encourage individuals to use these tests when they’re symptomatic. But Dr. Henry advised against people picking them up while showing any COVID symptoms.
Dr. Henry also noted that the Nuvaxovid vaccine, which is protein-based and was approved by Health Canada last week, will be expected to arrive in B.C. in seven to 10 days.
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Xiao Xu