Rapid tests will soon be given to B.C. students, health officials say

Two COVID-19 rapid tests that were given to a motorist are displayed at a Fraser Health drive-thru pick up site in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, January 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Students in B.C. will soon be offered rapid tests to take home and a rollout to the general public may be coming next, health officials announced Tuesday.

During a COVID-19 briefing, Health Minister Adrian Dix said more than 10 million rapid tests are expected to arrive in the province in the weeks to come. More than 2.8 million are already on their way.

While some rapid tests will be given to testing sites, acute-care centres and long-term care homes to replenish their supply, Dix said millions more will be distributed to schools.

The health minister explained that, "in the coming weeks," students will be given a take-home kit with five tests in it for their and their family's future use.

After that, tests may be offered to the general public, depending on availability.

"We will begin with seniors, carrying on our focus on higher-risk individuals, but we'll expand to the broader population as the inventory continues to arrive," Dix said.

Dix said the tests should be used only when a person is symptomatic.

"Increased test availability means more members of the general population will be able to access tests to use to understand their own symptoms and illness and to take action to limit transmission to their friends, family and work, including those at higher risk," he explained.

Testing strategies in B.C. have shifted over the past two months to prioritize those who are more vulnerable for PCR testing. However, rapid tests have been hard to access too, as many of the tests B.C. initially ordered weren't suitable for at-home use.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reiterated the rollout will be gradual.

"We're expecting quite a lot more of the at-home rapid tests to be available in the coming weeks and we're going to focus on making sure they're available for free to people who are in those higher-risk groups, particularly by age or people who have been identified clinically extremely vulnerable," she said.