Long term care homes, homeless shelters to be part of expansion to rapid testing program

FILE - In this April 10, 2020, file image made from video, a lab technician dips a sample into the Abbott Laboratories ID Now testing machine at the Detroit Health Center in Detroit. Federal health officials are warning about potential accuracy problems with the rapid test for COVID-19 used at thousands of hospitals, clinics and testing sites across the U.S., including the White House. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – The Alberta government has announced plans to expand its rapid testing program for COVID-19.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced Thursday testing will be offered to long term care facilities, designated supportive living facilities, homeless shelters, and 25 rural hospitals starting Friday.

“Alberta’s COVID-19 testing program is critical to managing and preventing the spread of the virus in our communities,” said Shandro. “Bringing rapid point-of-care testing directly to the locations where it can help protect the health of the most vulnerable Albertans is an important addition to our provincial testing system.”

The first mobile rapid testing unit will roll out in Edmonton while the Calgary Zone will begin on Dec. 21 with other communities following in the weeks ahead.

To date, more than 1,000 Albertans have received the rapid tests at assessment centres and hospitals. That has resulted in 76 positive cases who were notified about their result in a matter of hours.

“Alberta Precision Laboratories and Alberta Health Services have undertaken significant work to evaluate the effectiveness of rapid point-of-care testing systems and how they can add the most value to our province-wide COVID-19 testing program,” said board chair with Alberta Precision Laboratories, Mauro Chies.

“Our integrated provincial lab service allows us to quickly implement and scale up the use of new equipment and processes for the benefit of all Albertans.”

As of Wednesday, Alberta has completed 2.5 million tests on more than 1.5 million people.

Currently, the province’s active case count sits at just over 20,000 with over 84,000 cases confirmed since March.

-With files from Courtney Theriault, CityNews Edmonton