Canada is already seeing a sixth wave of COVID-19 in the weeks following the lifting of mask orders and other measures across the country. But as the number of cases increases, the public availability of PCR tests has not increased, as it was flooded during the wave that led to Omicron launching the number of cases in January and February. “I think using prudent rapid testing at home is what most Canadians should do,” said Dr. Prabhat Jha, a global epidemiologist at St. Louis Hospital. Michael’s in Toronto.

When should I use a quick test?

Jha recommends that people use a rapid antigen test if they start developing symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have been at high risk for an unvaccinated or symptomatic person with COVID-19. Even then, he says, not all situations would require you to take a test. A person is considering a COVID-19 rapid test kit after waiting in line for a free kit in Ottawa on January 7, 2022. Free kits are still available across Canada, in different locations depending on the province or territory. (Patrick Doyle / Reuters)
Instead, Jha suggests you think, “Was the person I was in contact with vaccinated? Was it actively symptomatic? Was it an indoor, enclosed space where I could have taken a large load of his virus if he had been hacked?” A positive result can also help an infected person get a better idea of ​​the risk to their family members and others around them, especially as the mask forces lift and other respiratory viruses begin to circulate more, Dr. Sushi said. Hota, medical director of infection prevention. and control at the University Health Network in Toronto. Regardless of a positive or negative result on a COVID test, both doctors say that a person with a respiratory illness should be isolated from others until they feel better. This way, they will also prevent colds and flu.

What does a negative result mean?

Medical experts continue to warn that a negative result on a rapid test does not necessarily mean that you do not have COVID-19. New Swiss research, which has not yet been evaluated by peers, suggests that some rapid tests have a “significantly lower sensitivity” in the Omicron than in the Delta variant. Similarly, research by the Ontario Scientific Advisory Board COVID-19 earlier this year found that rapid tests are less sensitive to Omicron than the Delta variant in nasal samples, especially in the first one to two days after infection. Doctors now recommend that you isolate yourself immediately after symptoms or exposure and then wait a day or two before using a rapid test to get the most accurate result from the increased viral load. CLOCKS What we know about the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron XE:

What is known about the COVID-19 variant called Omicron XE

Preliminary data suggest that the Omicron XE variant could be approximately 10 percent more contagious than the highly infectious Omicron BA subtype. Experts urge measured caution, pointing to vaccinations as a way to protect the public. 2:03
“Until then, fast tests are less likely to give you a false-negative result,” says Jha. But it can still happen, says Hota, who recommends another quick test 24 hours later, keeping in mind that a second negative test “does not necessarily rule it out”. However, he adds, a positive result must always be accepted as a “true positive”.

Do I have to use a quick test before an event?

As the spring and summer social calendars fill up, both Jha and Hota said it was important to remember that a negative rapid test result is never a guarantee – and that other safety measures, such as keeping events outdoors, are still important. “A single quick test tells you with low sensitivity what your condition is at the point where you are taking the test,” Hota said. “If you have the virus, in theory, you are less likely to be infectious to others at that time. It may change again in the two hours you are in this place … but it is not something you should hang your hat on.” Jha cites a recent grid in Washington, the Gridiron Dinner, as an example: more than 10 percent of the 630 guests at the event without masks – including Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress and White House advisers – have try since then positive. A person receives a rapid antigen test at Dalhousie University in Halifax on November 24, 2020. Self-administered rapid tests are now available for free at various locations across the country. (Robert Short / CBC)
However, says Jha, quick tests can be helpful in determining when you have recovered enough to return to work and continue socializing, “usually five days after your first positive test or after the onset of symptoms.” “If it has become negative by then, you are almost clear to go and meet others.”

What is the best technique to do a test?

The technique you use to pass a quick test on yourself or someone else is also very important. And experts say that a quick turn around each nostril is no longer enough, despite what the instructions on the box say. For a more accurate result, Hota recommends dabbing the bottom of both cheeks, the back of the neck, the tonsils or the back of your tongue – “depending on what you can tolerate” – and then dabbing both nostrils. The swab should fit about 2 inches into each nostril, for multiple cycles, he said.

How many test kits should I keep at home?

Jha suggests making sure you have at least two tests per household member. “If you are a typical family of four, you should probably have 10 on hand.” However, the ease or difficulty of getting your hands on a free quick test depends on where you live in Canada, with the provinces and territories that distribute them through different channels. In the middle of the fifth wave of COVID-19 during the winter, Canadians lined up for free quick tests, including those at a test site in Markham, OD, on Jan. 12. (Paul Smith / CBC)
In British Columbia, for example, quick tests are available free of charge at pharmacies, but these stores say they have a hard time convincing people to do them. Raj Rakholiya, director of Wilson Pharmacy in Port Coquitlam, BC, says absorption increases as cases increase, but is still below expectations: it currently has a stock of about 550 test kits. “Most people say they’ve already got their three shots, now they’re going to book for their boosters, so they do not need it. [tests]. “ Infectious disease experts say this is the wrong strategy: thousands of Canadians have contracted COVID-19 more than once, and re-infections are becoming more common as the most contagious subtype of Omicron BA.2 spreads to Canada. “Although the risks are small, you can still become infected again even if you have had COVID before,” said Ja. “I think doing quick tests at home is a sensible strategy that is considered something like the new normal.” People are queuing for free antenna rapid screening kits provided by the Ontario government at Queen’s University on January 11th. (Lars Hagberg / The Canadian Press)

Where to find a free quick test in your province or territory:

British Columbia: Available at pharmacies Alberta: Available in packs of five selected Alberta Health Services pharmacies and clinics Saskatchewan: Available at libraries, select grocery stores and gas stations, some municipal offices and other locations throughout the province Manitoba: Available in provincial test sites, pharmacies and grocery stores throughout the province and in libraries in Winnipeg Ontario: Available from some grocery stores, pharmacies and community organizations Quebec: Available at most pharmacies and schools and childcare facilities (for registered families) New Brunswick: Available for people with symptoms through the county government portal (online registration required) Prince Edward Island: Available at access points in the province, access to PEI sites, schools and kindergartens (for registered families) and some community organizations Nova Scotia: Available from MLA offices, access to Nova Scotia sites, public libraries, family resource centers, some food banks and pop-up sites Newfoundland and Labrador: Limited distribution through schools, health centers, centralized living facilities and other selected facilities Yukon: Available at some Whitehorse stores and community buildings in other parts of the country Northwest Territories: Available at Yellowknife Town Hall and Field House and grocery stores throughout the area Nunavut: Available at Northern and Northmart stores