Ontario seeks to expand use of rapid COVID tests in shifting pandemic strategy
Global News
The government is sending millions of rapid antigen tests to schools and recent comments from the chief medical officer of health suggest shifting testing priorities.
TORONTO — Ontario’s official COVID-19 testing volumes have plummeted since PCR access was sharply restricted in the face of an Omicron surge, but rather than widely re-expanding eligibility in the future, the province appears to be forging a new pandemic testing path.
Demand for tests at the end of last year saw a high of more than 75,000 processed the day the government announced eligibility would be limited largely to high-risk individuals – including patients in hospital, residents and staff in long-term care, and people being considered for COVID-19 treatments.
There have been calls to allow more residents to access gold-standard PCR tests, including students and staff in schools and child-care settings, now that an average of 25,460 tests have been processed each day over the past week, including a low of 15,008 one day on the weekend.
Instead, the government is sending millions of rapid antigen tests to schools and recent comments from the chief medical officer of health suggest shifting testing priorities, with a declining emphasis provincewide on PCR tests.
When asked about returning to a broader PCR eligibility, Dr. Kieran Moore said the criteria is regularly reviewed, but going forward, the province will take a “balanced approach” between PCR and rapid tests.
“(PCR is) clearly the more labour-intensive and the more difficult to get,” he said two weeks ago.
“You have to go to an assessment centre, you have to wait get the swab done for PCR testing. We’re limiting it specifically to those high-risk populations and settings. And I hope the public, as we have more RATs generally available, will take advantage of them because I do believe they’re much more convenient, done in the calm of your home, and you have an answer within minutes instead of waiting several days for the PCR results.”
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said Wednesday that Ontario may expand PCR testing to additional groups if there is capacity, and is actively looking at how to expand the use of rapid tests.