Round half of the speedy exams can be offered to colleges, universities and faculties for workers and college students
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Greater than 1,000,000 COVID-19 speedy take a look at kits can be distributed by the B.C. authorities over the following week.
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In accordance with a press release from Well being Minister Adrian Dix, as of Friday B.C. had a stockpile of 1.43 million speedy exams.
Outcomes from speedy exams can be found inside quarter-hour, requiring the consumer to offer a swab from their nostril that’s blended in an answer that’s then positioned on a testing strip.
These exams have grow to be important within the COVID-19 struggle because the Omicron variant has taken over — resulting in tens of 1000’s of recent circumstances every day which might be overwhelming the laboratory capability for the standard PCR exams.
The provincial well being officer estimates the true variety of each day circumstances is three to 4 occasions the quantity recognized by each day PCR testing, which has a 20,000 take a look at a day capability in B.C.
“The underside line proper now could be we simply don’t have that testing capability. For many individuals, a speedy take a look at is what they want, which can be extra accessible,” Dr. Bonnie Henry mentioned. Fast exams aren’t but accessible on the market at B.C. pharmacies.
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Dix mentioned there have been plans to distribute 1.12 million speedy exams over the following week with some requiring the assistance of a well being care employee and others that may be self-administered.
Of these, 500,000 had been allotted for faculties, faculties and universities throughout B.C. — however just for individuals who present signs of COVID-19, a headache, sore throat, fever or cough, for instance.
“Some 200,000 are being ready to help testing of symptomatic employees within the Ok-12 training sector throughout the province,” Dix mentioned.
“So 100,000 exams are being ready for deployment to the Ok-12 sector for testing of symptomatic college students. And 200,000 for post-secondary training for symptomatic college and college students.”
Dix mentioned 265,000 speedy exams could be distributed for well being care staff to check at their job websites, 50,000 would go to long-term care amenities, 115,000 to the First Nations Well being Authority and 90,000 to authorities testing websites.
B.C. has acquired 4.9 million speedy antigen exams to this point within the pandemic.
Some testing kits are being held again to take care of COVID-19 clusters and outbreaks as they happen, Dix mentioned.
“The steadiness of recent stock that arrives can be allotted within the days forward, in line with the (plans) outlined on Dec. 21, replenishing long-term care, training sectors and acute care hospitals for workers and testing websites,” Dix mentioned.
dcarrigg@postmedia.com
