Sask. government's guidance questioned as Workers' Compensation Board says it won't accept rapid tests

Saskatchewan employees who don't get a PCR test to confirm their COVID-19 diagnosis won't be eligible for support from the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB). 

Last week, the provincial government began advising people who test positive on a rapid antigen test, but are asymptomatic, to forgo the PCR test and instead assume they have COVID-19. Symptomatic people trying to get a PCR test have also been unable because of long wait times at testing centres. 

The WCB covers COVID-19 claims if there is a confirmed link between an employee's exposure and their job. However, it is not accepting rapid test results from people, "as there is no way to obtain a medical report confirming these results," a spokesperson said Wednesday. Compensation requires "a known medical diagnosis provided in a medical report."

This means that if a person catches COVID while on the job — and then develops long-COVID later on — they will not be eligible to make a claim unless they have proof with a PCR test documented on their health record. 

Andre Herle has been "immensely" supported by WCB throughout her experience with COVID-19. 

"Without WCB I would probably be back to work and struggling," she said.

Herle submitted her first claim after she contracted the virus in December 2020. Herle is a licensed practical nurse, and got the virus while caring for COVID-19 patients. For her first claim, she was required to show WCB proof of her PCR test and evidence to prove she contracted the illness at work.

She eventually returned to work, but in February she was severely ill and hospitalized. She had suffered a small COVID-related stroke and is still navigating several long-COVID symptoms.

She said she is grateful her claim to WCB for long-haul recovery was approved.

"I wouldn't have had physio for the last year, because my benefits would have run out, so that's huge."

Herle is working on healing with professionals who are assessing her progress for WCB. She said she hasn't felt pressured to rush back to work, and no one has suggested she should "just get over it" or that she's faking it. It's a relief for her, both mentally and physically.  

Susie Goulding, a COVID long-hauler and founder of the online support community Covid Long-Haulers Support Group Canada, said many people have been assisted across the country through workers' compensation. However, she also knows there are other long-haulers who have been denied service. She worries that number will grow as PCR tests dwindle and Omicron rips through the community. 

"There's many reasons why you need that PCR positive test, including benefits," she said.

Goulding said the denial of compensation and support could mean long-haulers may never recover. She noted there can be several barriers to care beyond compensation without a PCR test.