Increased access to COVID rapid test kits in the province were revealed on Wednesday, Feb. 23. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

COVID update

Province to broaden access to COVID-19 rapid tests

Feb 23, 2022 | 3:39 PM

NANAIMO – More people will be able to access take-home rapid COVID-19 tests as millions of additional kits are delivered to B.C.

B.C. health minister Adrian Dix announced on Wednesday, Feb. 23 a new community based distribution strategy through pharmacies to make more tests available to people who are symptomatic.

Distribution will start for those 70-years-old and up, which will eventually be broadened to younger age groups.

The province expects this will happen quickly and will be communicated via the government’s COVID-19 website.

More than 865,000 rapid test kits have been pre-positioned to pharmacy distributors, which minister Dix said will be available for public use at select pharmacies as early as Friday, Feb. 25.

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“Pharmacies will distribute a rapid antigen test containing five tests through this additional channel to interested individuals. There will be no cost for these tests,” Dix said, who noted people need to present a BC Services Card to obtain a kit.

A list of participating pharmacies can be viewed here.

Previously the province focused on making COVID rapid testing accessible for high risk populations.

Last week the province announced additional distribution of COVID-19 rapid test kits through the K-12 school system.

B.C. has received more than 22 million tests, deploying nearly 15 million of them. The province currently has 7.4 million left in inventory and is expecting 12 million additional tests over the next month, Dix said.

Last week the province slashed most COVID-19 health restrictions, while also pivoting to a sustainable COVID-19 management strategy.

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