Rapid tests will soon be given to B.C. students, health officials say
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.