Finding rapid tests for COVID-19 is proving a little more difficult these days in Halifax and Dartmouth.
Public libraries, where citizens had the opportunity to take free tests, are running out. CBC News called seven libraries in the Halifax and Dartmouth area Wednesday night and only one had tests available.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Lisa Barrett says the tests are important because they can help people get treatment.
“If we don’t have the tests out there, I want people to tell that to the health units, to the government people, because we need to make sure that people have the tests,” Barrett said.
“And even though there’s a lot of effort going into distributing the tests, unless the distribution group hears that there’s an unmet need, there won’t be more tests being sent, and we need to hear about that unmet need if people are missing tests.”
Libraries that have run out of tests refer people to MLA offices. CBC News also emailed MLAs in Halifax and Dartmouth on Wednesday. The offices that responded said they are seeing more demand.
“People want tests, they need tests, and they’re really concerned that they can’t get them,” said NDP health critic Susan LeBlanc, who also represents Dartmouth North.
“I’m hearing from my NDP colleagues that testing is going very, very quickly.”
A sign at the Halifax Central Library on July 20, 2022. (Jane Sponagle/CBC)
Making tests more accessible
Brendan Maguire, MLA for Halifax Atlantic, said his office is one of the places people in his area can go to get tested. The problem, he said, is that MLAs’ working hours are usually from 9 am to 5 pm – a time when many people are at work.
“A lot of time is spent in the evenings and on the weekends running around and sending these tests to people,” Maguire said.
Maguire said his office is always asking public health for more tests.
“It’s particularly troubling in areas where we have low-income people who have transportation issues,” he said.
“Outside the MLAs’ office, they can’t go to the library center or they can’t go to the medical facilities to find these… I have to make sure that there is always enough in my office so that people don’t spend the days are on three buses to try to go get rapid tests.”
Halifax-Armdale MLA Ali Duale’s office said they noticed more people asking for rapid tests two to three weeks ago.
On July 6, the province announced it was no longer providing PCR tests to people who tested positive for a rapid test or were asymptomatic. People with symptoms who are considered low-risk will also not have access to PCR tests.
It also ended the Test to Protect program, which involved volunteers providing rapid tests or handing them out to the public outside the Halifax Central Library.
Not surprised, but sad. It was a blessing to participate in pic.twitter.com/IYwoOoyYl1
—@MMCMDL
High demand at election offices
“I think that instead of restricting access to testing for Covid (ie preventing PCR testing etc) we should make it more accessible to the public. We need increased orders of kits for libraries, clinics, MLA offices, etc.,” Doyle wrote in an email to CBC News.
Fairview-Clayton Park MLA Patricia Arab’s office also saw more voters seeking rapid tests.
“We had between 15-20 people a day referred to us from the library plus people calling us directly,” constituency assistant Arab said in an email. “Since Monday morning, we have delivered almost 100 boxes of rapid tests.
Online test scores
Arab’s office said there should be more places for people to get tested.
“Opening additional locations like resource centers and local food banks or farmers’ markets and making sure they can get supplies will allow more people to get testing kits.”
In a statement to CBC News, Nova Scotia Health and Wellness said the province is “moving away from asymptomatic testing and therefore the availability of rapid tests in certain locations may vary.”
“Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 can still attend the online assessment and make an appointment to receive rapid tests.”
Health and Wellness was asked how many rapid tests were distributed in June compared to July, and the department did not respond to that question.
No more asymptomatic testing for healthcare workers
Nova Scotia health officials say they stopped asymptomatic testing for health care workers when the province made the corresponding move for the general public on July 6. As a result, rapid tests will no longer be provided to healthcare workers at their workplace.
“Rapid test kits may still be in stock at various healthcare facilities and workers are encouraged to speak with their supervisors to see if this is an option,” health authorities said in a statement, but that “these test kits will not be replenished while supplies last.”
The health authority said it is prioritizing getting PCR tests for its workers who have symptoms.
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