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
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.