B.C. parents want access to rapid testing kits for school-aged kids
The federal government has shipped hundreds of thousands of rapid COVID-19 test kits to all Canadian provinces, but how they're being used varies widely.
In Ontario, those kits have been made available free to parents, so they can regularly test their school-aged children at home.
“We have driven out to Waterloo on a number of occasions and basically filled our trunk full of these tests, and we are giving them out to parents at our school who have signed up and committed to testing each child twice a week,” said Toronto parent Kate Dupuis.
Sabrina Wong of the UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research told CTV News the kits would be helpful as a screening test in B.C. as well, if only they were made available.
“As a parent, I don’t know of anywhere in British Columbia that you are able to get access to rapid testing kits such as what they have in this program in Ontario," Wong said.
It’s unclear how many rapid test kits are in British Columbia’s stockpile, or where they’re currently being used.
That frustrates North Vancouver mom Diana Araya Cerdas. “I know the tests are there, the government got them for every province. So they are there, and it would be great as a piece of mind, you know?“ she said.
Dupuis said that’s exactly what the rapid tests provide. She swabs her daughter twice a week.
“We do our testing on Mondays, and Monday morning, at least when I’m sending her off to school, I know she’s OK,” Dupuis said. About two-thirds of her child’s classmates are also regularly swabbed with the free test kits.
Dupuis would like to see other provinces make their rapid test kits available to parents.
“I wonder at one point if the federal government will have to step in and start putting some oversight into these and say look, you have been given these for your population to use, you need to start using them,” Dupuis said.
Wong agreed, arguing that providing access to the kits would help "democratize testing."
“I think parents would be thrilled to be able to do this, especially when those exposure notices come out,” said Wong.
Araya Cerdas told CTV News she would happily test her two children, who have just returned to class at their North Vancouver elementary school.
“They started back on Monday. I delayed it for two weeks because I was anxious about the protocols, the safety protocols,” she said. While they’re back in the classroom now, they may not stay there.
“I don’t know, it’s day by day, play it by ear,” said Araya Cerdas. “I’m very worried.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.