Canada needs a stronger COVID-19 detection system, experts say
CTV
Experts say Canada needs to develop a robust system to detect COVID-19 activity in the absence of wide-scale PCR testing. Since the onset of the Omicron variant, provinces and territories have scaled back access to gold-standard PCR testing, citing the lack of capacity to keep up with demand and the need to free up health-care resources.
Since the onset of the Omicron variant, provinces and territories have scaled back access to gold-standard PCR testing, citing the lack of capacity to keep up with demand and the need to free up health-care resources.
Many people have since relied on results from rapid antigen tests, but they aren't as reliable at detecting the Omicron variant or reported and tracked the way PCR tests are. Experts say there needs to be a better way of informing people about COVID-19 activity in their communities.
Dr. Caroline Colijn, a mathematician and epidemiologist at Simon Fraser University, said there are currently "too many infections" in Canada to expand access to PCR tests to everyone to find out the true number of infections.
She said more robust programs could also be used to pick up other kinds of respiratory infections.
