140M rapid tests, more pediatric COVID-19 doses coming this month, feds say
CTV
By the end of the month, there will be enough pediatric COVID-19 doses in Canada for all eligible children, and 140 million additional rapid tests will be delivered to provinces and territories, the federal government announced Wednesday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the federal government would “quadruple” December’s fulfilled request from the provinces and territories for 35 million rapid tests.
The incoming 140 million rapid tests is enough for each person in this country to take one rapid test a week for one month, if necessary. They will be divided up to each province and territory on a per-capita basis.
With testing systems overwhelmed in some provinces, access to the laboratory PCR tests has been restricted to high-risk cases, leaving many resorting to at-home rapid tests to screen for COVID-19, a tool that’s become high in demand and hard to come by for many.
Facing questions about why the government is continuing to leave distribution of these tests to the provinces rather than sending them directly to households, Trudeau said it’s on premiers to decide how to allot these tests in their jurisdictions.
