Province handing out take-home rapid test kits at Manitoba testing sites to lower backlog

Covid-19 Rapid Test Device kits at Humber River Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday November 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

WINNIPEG -

The Manitoba Government is handing out more rapid tests at provincial testing sites and giving them to vulnerable people.

Announced in a news release Monday morning, the province said it's handing out self-administered rapid tests at provincial testing sites in an effort to manage the growing demand for COVID-19 tests.

Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, said with the current backlogs people should just consider staying home if symptoms develop.

“Younger healthy individuals , those under 40, no underlying health conditions. If you’re ill, you could consider just isolating for 10 days at home,” said Roussin on Monday.

“You could still attend a testing site, get a rapid test and see what that shows, but either way if you’re ill we need you self-isolate until you get a test result. If you’re not going to get a test result, (isolate) for ten days.”

At a news conference last Friday, the province said there were about 10,000 samples waiting for analysis

"The centralized use of rapid test kits is necessary to manage the supply we have in stock," said Health and Seniors Minister Audrey Gordon in the release.

"Making take-home, self-administered rapid tests available to symptomatic Manitobans who seek a COVID-19 test will help manage the potential demand of tests when the omicron variant of concern becomes more prominent."

When a person visits a testing site, the type of test they receive will now be based on their vaccination status.

If an individual is symptomatic and vaccinated, they will receive a take-home, self-administered rapid test.

For those who do go for testing, Roussin said people should expect it to take time.

“When you go for testing you can expect some of the longer lineups, although the strategy now with the rapid testing has significantly improve that,” he said.

“Current test turnaround can be up to four days or even longer, so again if you’re symptomatic we need you isolating for that 10 days, or until you get a negative result.”

The top doctor also had advice for people who are needing test results to travel.

“Manitobans who are seeking COVID tests for travel purposes, please don’t go to our testing locations, we need this for Manitobans who are ill. Go to private providers if you need this for travel purposes.”

Additionally, the province said a random number of fully vaccinated people will be selected for a PCR test as a control measure.

If a person is symptomatic and unvaccinated, they will receive a PCR test. If they are symptomatic, high-risk and unvaccinated, they may receive a PCR test and a take-home, self-administered rapid test and may be referred for monoclonal antibody treatment.

If the rapid test comes back positive, the individual will be advised to return for a PCR test to confirm the result, which is when the positive test result would be reported publicly.

According to the province, for those who test positive on a follow-up PCR test, the individual will be contacted by a public health official who will provide information about isolation and help determine if the individual meets the criteria for monoclonal antibodies treatment.

The minister noted the rapid testing changes will be introduced incrementally at testing locations throughout the province.

Current locations implementing the rapid testing changes include:

• drive-thru testing site, 1066 Nairn Ave., Winnipeg
• drive-thru testing site at MPI, 125 King Edward St., Winnipeg
• walk-in testing site, 1 Research Rd., Winnipeg
• testing site, 100 Easton Dr., Selkirk

Gordon also noted that to further help prioritize testing, Manitobans who are seeking a COVID-19 test for out-of-province travel purposes should not attend provincial testing sites and should seek out a private provider.

Along with handing rapid-tests out at provincial testing sites, the kits will be provided at 20 Manitoba Families social services offices across the province. The province said more than 15,000 test kits with three tests each will be distributed to regular clients starting later this week.

An additional 1,764 kits will be provided directly to Community Living Disability Services clients living independently with supports.

Going forward, the province said nearly 400 kits would be provided per month to staff at child and family service agencies for use when visiting vulnerable children and clients.

Rapid antigen tests are also being distributed to families with students in kindergarten to Grade 6 in provincial schools, as well as schools in First Nations communities.