HERE’S HOW RAPID COVID TESTS COULD HELP CURB CORONA VIRUS IN CANADA

 

rapid covid test

Now when there is a fear of a second wave of Covid-19, rapid covid tests will play a major role in helping the health department rein in rising novel coronavirus case numbers in Canada in 2021, national deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo shared in an update recently.

The latest Panbio COVID-19 Antigen rapid test, which is unique in its kind to be authorized in Canada, can be completed on-site without additional heavy equipment or a complicated laboratory setting, and can give quick results within just 20 minutes.

While it may not be 100 percent accurate as the “gold standard” real-time PCR test in Brampton, which are done in authorised covid testing medical labs, Njoo said it can work as an add on complement to a comprehensive testing strategy and help our health-care workers to “save the PCR test for the ones where you actually have very sick people and you need diagnosis to be 100 percent right.”

Antigen covid tests find results by detecting specific types of proteins found on the surface of the covid-19 virus, as opposed to detecting the virus itself.

Remote work offices and crowded workplaces like factories, meat-packing facilities will be benefited from antigen testing, Njoo said, adding that it will help in making it a lot easier to identify asymptomatic carriers of the covid virus and contact trace the careers who may have been exposed to Covid-19.

“There are too many other possibilities in certain covid outbreak settings where you have to at least start the rapid public health action,” he shared.

“You could start implementing the rapid antigen covid test to fast identify those who might have been exposed to covid virus and are actually infected with the covid virus.”

Anita Anand, minister of public services and procurement, Canada, also shared an update that Canada signed an agreement to procure up to 20.5 million of the antigen rapid test kits for covid.

Till now, the Canadian government has found good three other producers who have developed the method for successful rapid point-of-care tests for COVID-19.

rapid test

In a latest release in 2021, Public Services and Procurement Canada shared that includes Abbott Rapid Diagnostics, which will provide up to 7.9 million ID NOW rapid tests along with Panbio COVID-19 Antigen rapid tests. Biomérieux Canada “will provide up to 699,750 rapid covid test kits,” while Inter Medico will be providing “up to 1.2 million GeneXpert rapid tests,” the release informed.

“Aditionally, the federal government of Canada has purchased enough swabs, re-agent and other covid testing related materials to conduct 200,000 tests everyday in Canada for at least the remainder of the year 2021,” Anand shared, adding the country is on track to purchase more rapid tests in the coming weeks.

The procurement minister of Canada shared the point-of-care tests offered part of a solution to constant challenges faced by the Canadian government to ramp up laboratory capacity to process the increasing number of covid test samples and avoid backlogs.

“Covid Testing is a key pillar of Canada’s quick response to COVID-19 and that’s the reason Health Canada has started detailed reviews of all types of COVID-19 tests which can be availed in Canada. These antigens covid tests will be playing an important role in avoiding large clusters of Covid-19 outbreaks, when covid test results are required quickly so further spread of the Covid virus can be avoided,” Anand said.

The news arrived as Canada is struggling hard to control rising case numbers of Covid-19, with several cities in Canada including Barmpton, Niagara Falls are already undergoing a second wave of the Covid-19 virus.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam shared that around 71,000 people are currently being tested in Canada on a daily basis, with around 2.5 percent of the population testing positive.

On average, she said 3000 new Covid-19 cases in the second wave were being reported daily, noting an dangerous trend in the number of people getting hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Now Covid testing labs in Brampton, Niagara Falls and other Canadian cities will also play a pivotal role in curbing the spread of Covid-19. Let’s hope we get rid of this Virus soon.