VANCOUVER -- A day after CTV News pointed out contradictory messaging from the provincial government and health authorities on testing asymptomatic close contacts, Fraser Health has removed all ambiguity, while the Ministry of Health has only added to the confusion.

On Monday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said people who’ve been close to people who tested positive for the coronavirus could get tested, even though webpages and instructional documents from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health indicated that at least one symptom was required. When asked on Tuesday if they would unify the messaging, health officials didn’t respond.

On Wednesday afternoon, Fraser Health’s top doctor was crystal clear about the policy in that health authority, while Health Minister Adrian Dix and his staff only added to the confusion.

When asked if the websites would be updated, Dix did not respond to the question directly.

“Our approach in general has been to encourage people to get tested and that continues to be the case,” he said.

"At this time, there has been no direction to change the policy surrounding testing guidance," a spokesperson later said in an email to CTV News.

That guidance still requires at least one symptom for close contacts, with different criteria for everyone else.

Less than two hours later, Fraser Health president and CEO, Dr. Victoria Lee, announced on Twitter that the health authority had changed its recommendations, allowing asymptomatic close contacts to be tested, as well as elective surgical patients. 

“If you are a close contact of a confirmed case, even with no symptoms, you should get tested seven days after exposure,” the Fraser Health website now reads. 

It notes, “Disclaimer: website was updated on May 19, 2021 to align to current practice.”

The BCCDC’s website remains unchanged, requiring even close contacts to have at least one of the primary or secondary symptoms, while VCH continues to say “a COVID-19 test is recommended if you had a contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and have any one of the symptoms below.”