St. Catharines Standard e-edition

Circulation of rapid test kits to end at pharmacies, grocery stores

ALLISON JONES

TORONTO An Ontario program that distributes free rapid tests for COVID-19 at grocery stores and pharmacies will end after this month.

The Ministry of Health wrote in a memo to the retailers recently that the rapid antigen test program will wind down as of June 30.

“With the lower rates of COVID-19, high vaccination rates, and demand for RAT consistently decreasing, the province will be winding down its RAT programs on June 30, 2023,” the memo said.

“As a result, distribution of free RATS through the program will end and any agreements with your organization with respect to the program will expire.”

A spokesperson for Health Minister Sylvia Jones said demand from retailers last June was 3.9 million tests a week, and this month it is expected to be about 325,000 tests per week. The ministry is asking grocery stores and pharmacies to place final orders by June 16.

However, the ministry said free rapid tests will still be distributed in some “high priority” communities through organizations such as community health centres and Ontario Health Teams until Dec. 31.

Those communities were identified in December 2020 based on high COVID rates and low testing rates and include many Greater Toronto Area regions such as Brampton, parts of Mississauga, east Toronto and York Region, as well as Windsor and central Ottawa.

CANADA & WORLD

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2023-06-10T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-10T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://stcatharinesstandard.pressreader.com/article/281754158724359

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