Ontario outlines plan to expand rapid COVID-19 testing for essential sectors

Ontario has outlined its plan to expand rapid COVID-19 testing in long-term care homes, schools and other essential sectors.

The province has only used about one-third of the rapid tests provided to them by the federal government. Since Nov. 2020, Ontario has received six million rapid antigen tests and distributed only two million while also only distributing 175,000 of the 600,000 rapid molecular test kits.

Health officials say they are planning to ramp up distribution to one million per week in the coming months.

The current testing capacity for the province is at 100,000 per day with the province averaging between 50,000 and 70,000 per day.

Premier Doug Ford said the tests will provide results in a matter of minutes.

“It’s important to get them out the door as quickly as possible to provide an added layer of protection for our front-line workers and vulnerable citizens, especially those in rural and remote areas of the province,” Ford said in a statement.

All long-term care homes will now be providing rapid antigen tests to staff, essential visitors and volunteers with 385,000 tests distributed weekly and another 118,000 tests going to retirement homes weekly.

There will also be 300,000 tests sent to 30 essential industry sites every week.

For schools, there will be 50,000 tests provided weekly for students, staff and members of their household across of the province.

Land borders and high priority communities have also been identified as priority sectors for rapid testing.