COVID-19 rapid tests for people 70+ to be available at pharmacies
People aged 70 years and older will soon have access to rapid antigen tests through community pharmacies at no cost.
This week, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the BC Pharmacy Association, is shipping COVID-19 rapid tests to community pharmacies throughout the province. Starting as early as this Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, people aged 70 years and older can pick up one kit containing five tests every 28 days from participating pharmacies at no cost. Individuals must present their personal health number when picking up the kit or, if others are picking up kits on their behalf, in addition to the individual’s name and personal health number, date of birth must also be supplied.
Test kits are available to all individuals aged 70 years and older. People should pick up their kits when they are asymptomatic and use one test at a time when they have symptoms. Guidelines for testing continue to indicate tests should be used for symptomatic individuals.
B.C. is expecting to receive an additional 12 million tests from the federal government within the next four weeks, which will support the province’s strategy to further distribute tests to members of the broader community.
Quick Fact:
- As of Feb. 23, 2022, B.C. has distributed more than 14,843,000 rapid antigen tests across the province.
Learn More:
- For more information on the government’s distribution of rapid tests: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/testing
- For information on how to access outpatient COVID-19 treatments: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/treatments
- For information on rapid antigen testing for COVID-19: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing/rapid-antigen-testing
- For information on when to get a COVID-19 test at a collection centre: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing/when-to-get-a-covid-19-test
- On understanding your test result: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/testing/understanding-test-results
- For instructions on what to do if you test positive: http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/Tested-positive-COVID19.pdf
Does anyone know the shelf life of an unopened test kit package? Thanks.
What a disorganized roll out of everything from cannabis to vaccines it’s been in our province, and now it’s the Rapid Test Kit boondoggle today. The Heath Ministry’s PSA ON TV announces (word for word) EVERYONE WILL HAVE TEST KITS STARTING FRIDAY. Not. Today it’s 70 yrs+, thank you that’s me , but did they tell you select pharmacies only, or only 100 per pharmacy, or how long we’d wait for the next batch? Most pharmacies couldn’t even request their 100 until today though they’ve been needed for the past year! Necessary in schools, but also for those undergoing treatments, for newborn parents, folks waiting for surgery, or to bid farewell to a loved one.
Politics has no place in healthcare but sadly under Mr Horgan’s government it does. Whether it’s the sad situation on our streets because of the the lack of addiction and mental health treatment services, or the laughable rollout of cannabis to recreational users only (medical dispensaries were shut down, sorry), a vax booking program that crashed and couldn’t keep up, contact tracing that went sideways, bulk rapid tests expiring in a warehouse, dying seniors in care homes because of unvaxxed staff, … and now we have ruffled 70+’s driving desperately pharmacy to pharmacy for their dwindling golden ticket, er, test. And public service announcements with half truths and high expectations.
If I had been the boss overseeing this lack of foresight, disorganization and gross incompetence, a whole whack of bureaucrats, starting with Bill Blair and Adrian Dix would be looking for work.