Ontario will give out free COVID-19 fast exams at grocery shops throughout the province, sources say.
Sources throughout the Ontario authorities stated roughly 5 million fast exams can be handed out per week.
There can be a restrict of 1 package per household go to and every package will comprise 5 fast exams, they are saying.
Additional particulars concerning the rollout of the fast exams weren't instantly accessible, however the authorities is predicted to make the official announcement on Wednesday.
Sources stated the federal government is aiming to align handing out the free exams with the subsequent step of the reopening, which occurs on Feb. 21.
The information comes on the identical day the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Board Desk launched a video containing directions on how one can administer the exams at residence.
In late December, the Ontario authorities introduced important revisions to its COVID-19 testing tips.
It was introduced that publicly funded PCR exams would solely be accessible to high-risk people who're symptomatic and/or are vulnerable to extreme sickness from COVID-19. The province additionally introduced that fast exams can be prioritized for hospitals, long-term care and retirement houses, and different high-risk settings.
The new tips led to a plummet in testing volumes throughout the province. Demand for exams on the finish of final yr noticed a excessive of greater than 75,000, whereas a median of 21,433 exams have been processed every day over the previous week, in response to provincial knowledge.
Ontario has acquired 80 million fast exams so far, and has to this point distributed 75 million throughout a wide range of sectors, together with well being care, schooling, and retail.
On Tuesday, Ontario reported 2,254 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 274 sufferers within the intensive care unit (ICU) with the virus.
With recordsdata from CTV Information Toronto's Colin D'Mello.
Ontario Premier attends a information convention in Toronto, as additional restrictions are introduced to fight the unfold of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, on Monday January 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Younger
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