Press "Enter" to skip to content

Tag: rapid tests

Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Modeling tool estimates COVID-19 testing saved 1.4 million lives

Published January 3, 2025

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Medical Xpress
Published on:
By Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how crucial testing is for disease preparedness and response, and new research from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and a team of collaborators underscores that principle.

Published in the Jan. 2 edition of The Lancet Public Health, the research included simulation and analysis that suggests public-private partnerships to develop, produce and distribute COVID-19 diagnostic tests saved an estimated 1.4 million lives and prevented about 7 million patient hospitalizations in the United States during the pandemic.

Continue readingModeling tool estimates COVID-19 testing saved 1.4 million lives
Comments closed
Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

Why doesn’t Doug Ford’s government want you to know if you have this dangerous disease?

Published December 19, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Toronto Star
Published on:
By Iris Gorfinkel

Transparency is crucial to public health, but far too little effort has gone into informing the public about the long-term health hazards posed by repeated COVID-19 infections. That needs to change. A good place to start is by providing free rapid tests to enable Ontarians to gauge their risk and that of their loved ones. Its messaging would be clear: Results still matter.

— Dr. Iris Gorfinkel
Continue readingWhy doesn’t Doug Ford’s government want you to know if you have this dangerous disease?
Comments closed
Topic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta

Free rapid COVID tests a thing of the past in Alberta, unless you’re really lucky

Published October 23, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Jennifer Lee

The days of access to free rapid COVID-19 tests are over, unless you stumble across a pharmacy with a few boxes left, and most Albertans wishing to test for the virus now have to pay out of pocket.

The Alberta government has received its full allotment through the free federal government program, which ended earlier this month. Now its entire stockpile has been distributed.

Continue readingFree rapid COVID tests a thing of the past in Alberta, unless you’re really lucky
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

The Four Rapid COVID PCR Tests You Can Take at Home (and Why You Should)

Published October 21, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Lifehacker
Published on:
By Amanda Blum

Last week, I was about to go on a date, and because I’m severely immunocompromised, we agreed he would take a COVID test using one of my rapid home PCR tests. It was a courtesy—he felt perfectly fine— but he tested positive. By the next day, he was sick as a dog. And, by the way, the rapid antigen test he took when he got home that night was negative.

Regardless of how you much of a health risk you see in COVID, it is still, at best, an inconvenience that costs you days off work. A simple home PCR test saved me from that inconvenience (and worse), and if I’d relied on the common rapid antigen test or done nothing at all, I would probably be sick right now.

Continue readingThe Four Rapid COVID PCR Tests You Can Take at Home (and Why You Should)
Comments closed
Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

People in Sudbury say free COVID-19 rapid test kits are hard to come by

Published October 3, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Kate Rutherford

Along with an increase in colds and the flu across northern Ontario this fall; pharmacies are seeing a bump in people searching, unsuccessfully, for rapid antigen COVID-19 tests to take at home.

In Sudbury, Ont., Lucio Fabris was one of them.

He recently went on the hunt for a test for his wife who had been exposed to COVID-19.

They were expecting a grandchild and they didn’t want to spread the virus to vulnerable family members.

Continue readingPeople in Sudbury say free COVID-19 rapid test kits are hard to come by
Comments closed
Topic: pro-virus policiesView all posts for the topic: pro-virus policies

Video | Feds to stop providing free COVID-19 rapid tests

Published May 23, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Global News
Published on:

The federal government, which spent billions on COVID-19 rapid tests during the height of the pandemic, says it will stop supplying provinces and territories with those tests. Heidi Petracek explains the move, and the reaction from some provinces and doctors.

Continue readingVideo | Feds to stop providing free COVID-19 rapid tests
Comments closed
Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

Winding down of free COVID-19 rapid test kit access in N.B. ‘an abdication of what public health is supposed to be,’ says epidemiologist

Published May 21, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CTV News
Published on:
By Nick Moore

We know that COVID-19 is not an equal-opportunity disease, we’ve known this for four years. COVID tends to have a disproportionately high impact on people who are lower on the socio-economic ladder; people who don’t have the luxury of working from home, people who are doing essential work, people who because of their income are living in more crowded conditions. These are all risk factors and they’re all socio-economically tied. So to say, ‘Yeah, there’s this tool that will keep you safe if you have enough money to pay for it,’ I think is an abdication of what public health is supposed to be, which is public.

— Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Toronto
Continue readingWinding down of free COVID-19 rapid test kit access in N.B. ‘an abdication of what public health is supposed to be,’ says epidemiologist
Comments closed
Topic: Cue HealthView all posts for the topic: Cue Health

San Diego COVID-19 testmaker Cue Health is shutting down

Published May 21, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: The San Diego Union-Tribune
Published on:
By Natallie Rocha

Cue Health, the once high-flying San [Diego] biotech supplying rapid COVID-19 test kits to the NBA and others, is shutting down this week.

Cue’s closure comes a week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to throw out any of its COVID-19 test kits because they could give false results. The San Diego firm said it has stopped selling the COVID-19 tests, which was its only fully FDA-approved commercial product.

Continue readingSan Diego COVID-19 testmaker Cue Health is shutting down
Comments closed
Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

COVID-19 rapid tests will stop being distributed once supplies run out: N.B. government

Published May 16, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CTV News
Published on:
By Leigha Kaiser

COVID-19 rapid tests in New Brunswick will stop being distributed through community-based distribution sites when the current supply runs out, which the province says will likely be by the end of next month.

A news release from the New Brunswick government Thursday says, aside from a few specific groups, testing hasn’t been recommended for the general public since March 2023. Separate testing guidelines remain in place for certain settings, such as special care homes.

“However, our guidance has changed throughout the pandemic as the virus has evolved,” said Dr. Yves Léger, the province’s acting chief medical officer of health. “Testing will still be recommended for certain groups but, for the general public, the focus is on staying home when you are ill. That remains the most important measure to take.”

Continue readingCOVID-19 rapid tests will stop being distributed once supplies run out: N.B. government
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Ottawa will stop providing COVID-19 rapid tests to regions

Published May 7, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

The Canadian government plans to stop supplying provinces and territories with free COVID-19 rapid tests, which has an infection control epidemiologist worried about two-tiered health care, increased spread and increased health-care costs.

“The federal government continues to support Canada’s rapid testing needs while the federal inventory remains,” Health Canada spokesperson Nicholas Janveau told CBC News.

Continue readingOttawa will stop providing COVID-19 rapid tests to regions
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

What are the most reliable rapid antigen tests?

Published May 6, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: newsGP
Published on:
By Michelle Wisbey

A new study has analysed 26 RATs from Australia and Canada, finding only six could effectively detect the lowest concentrations of COVID-19.

Patients across the globe have come to rely on rapid antigen tests (RATs) to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis, but a new Australian study has revealed most are not producing accurate results.

Researchers from James Cook University (JCU) say they were left ‘shocked’ after an analysis of 26 RATs from Australia and Canada found just six were effective at detecting the lowest concentration of COVID-19.

One Canadian test failed to detect the COVID-19 protein entirely at any level of concentration.

Continue readingWhat are the most reliable rapid antigen tests?
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

International study highlights best RATs

Published May 2, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: James Cook University
Published on:

A ground-breaking study by James Cook University researchers has produced damning findings on several COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) available in Australia and overseas.

The new joint study by JCU and National Research Council Canada analysed 16 RATs approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and 10 by Health Canada, using a JCU-developed COVID-19 protein and its Canadian counterpart as reference materials.

Out of the total 26 RATs compared, only six were found to be effective at detecting the lowest concentration of the COVID-19 reference proteins in the dilution series used for benchmarking.

Continue readingInternational study highlights best RATs
Comments closed
Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

New Brunswick mulls future of COVID-19 rapid tests, as virus kills 2, hospitalizes child under 4

Published April 30, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

New Brunswick is mulling the future of its COVID-19 rapid point-of-care testing program, as the virus claimed two more lives and hospitalized 17 people, including a child under four.

“Demand for rapid tests has been steadily declining since last fall, and the province is currently determining its next steps with regards to the COVID-19 tests,” said Department of Health spokesperson Sean Hatchard.

He made the comment in response to questions from CBC News about how much longer the province will continue to offer free rapid test kits and whether it’s considering phasing them out.

Continue readingNew Brunswick mulls future of COVID-19 rapid tests, as virus kills 2, hospitalizes child under 4
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Free home Covid-19 test program to be suspended this week

Published March 5, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CNN
Published on:
By Amanda Musa

The US government’s free at-home Covid-19 test program will be suspended Friday, according to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

Since November, residential households in the US have been able to submit an order through Covidtests.gov for four individual rapid antigen tests. All orders placed on or before Friday will be fulfilled, according to ASPR, an operating division of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

“ASPR has delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 tests to the American people through COVIDTests.gov and direct distribution pathways and will continue distributing millions of tests per week to long-term care facilities, food banks, health centers, and schools,” an ASPR spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.

Continue readingFree home Covid-19 test program to be suspended this week
Comments closed
Topic: SaskatchewanView all posts for the topic: Saskatchewan

Free supply of COVID-19 tests coming to an end in Saskatchewan

Published February 14, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Regina Leader-Post
Published on:

With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly four years in the rear-view, measures like masks, social distancing and free COVID-19 test kits have continued to wind down.

On Wednesday, the Government of Saskatchewan confirmed it will no longer supply free tests, which have been widely available at voluntary distribution sites like public libraries.

In response to the pandemic, the federal government procured and distributed rapid antigen tests to provinces and territories, making them freely available to individuals and families as a way to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Continue readingFree supply of COVID-19 tests coming to an end in Saskatchewan
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Researchers report COVID home tests as accurate as the same tests given by a clinician

Published February 14, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CIDRAP
Published on:
By Mary Van Beusekom

A single-center study conducted at a free community testing site in Maryland suggests that patient-administered BinaxNow COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs) have similar accuracy as those performed by a clinician, although the results can be misinterpreted or falsely negative.

Researchers from the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital and Johns Hopkins University and their collaborators compared the sensitivity and specificity of Abbott’s BinaxNOW home RAT with those administered by a healthcare provider and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from February to July 2022, a period of Omicron variant predominance.

The median age of the 953 participants was 34 years, 60.6% were women, 58.6% were White, 98.2% were English-speaking, and 34.1% had at least one COVID-19 symptom. Hospital staff administered both a RAT and an RT-PCR test to participants, who then self-tested with a RAT, the results of which were both self-reported and reviewed by the researchers.

Continue readingResearchers report COVID home tests as accurate as the same tests given by a clinician
Comments closed
Topic: Nova ScotiaView all posts for the topic: Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Health changes COVID-19 rapid test supplier over expiry dates

Published January 11, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Global News
Published on:
By Alex Cooke

The Nova Scotia government has changed the brand of COVID-19 rapid tests it distributes due to the newer tests having a longer expiry date.

In a statement, Nova Scotia Health spokesperson Jennifer Lewandowski said the province has transitioned to the Flowflex COVID-19 rapid tests, as they have a longer expiry date than the previously used BTNX rapid tests.

Continue readingNova Scotia Health changes COVID-19 rapid test supplier over expiry dates
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Health Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests

Published January 11, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Global News
Published on:
By Patti Sonntag

Health Canada ignored critical warnings about a rapid-test supplier before approving its COVID-19 kits for distribution nationwide, Global News has found.

A year-long Global News investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a Toronto-area rapid-test supplier that buys the devices from China, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada in October 2020. Deleting the specimens increased the estimate of the rapid test’s ability to detect the virus.

Continue readingHealth Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests
Comments closed