Manitoba pharmacists now able to perform COVID-19 rapid tests
The Manitoba government is now allowing pharmacists to perform COVID-19 rapid tests for people who are looking to travel outside of the province.
Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon announced that all Manitoba pharmacies will be able to do rapid antigen tests and rapid molecular tests.
Gordon said this new order is effective as of Monday, and pharmacies will be responsible for acquiring supplies, training their staff, and setting a price for the test.
"These measures enable pharmacists to expand services for all Manitobans by performing, interpreting, and providing results to these tests to people who require a negative test to travel," said Gordon. "This is an important change that builds capacity and provides more options for travellers."
Ashley Hart, the president of Pharmacists Manitoba, said it is exciting that pharmacies will be able to perform tests for Manitobans.
"Rapid testing in pharmacies is another small step towards bringing Manitoba in line with the advanced pharmacy practices seen in other provinces across Canada," said Hart.
"We look forward to providing Manitobans access to convenient rapid testing services and participating pharmacies will be working hard in the coming days and weeks to make this available in communities across the province."
Hart said people are asked to confirm the type of test that is needed for their destination and that confirmation of travel plans will need to be presented at the pharmacy.
Gordon said there will be no subsidies from the province and that each location is responsible for setting prices.
Hart added the tests will be able to be done in the pharmacy and the pharmacists will be able to provide the results to customers.
"The interpretation will be done by the pharmacists as well and documentation will be provided to the patient," said Hart.
She noted people will still be required to wait in line if others are at the pharmacy and they will have to wait for the test to be completed as well.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.