Rapid COVID-19 testing is being introduced in three personal care home (PCH) for asymptomatic staff working in the facilities as part of a pilot project.
Asymptomatic testing is already used in PCHs that have confirmed cases. When a positive case is identified all staff and residents who are identified as contacts are tested with or without symptoms.
The pilot project will be undertake surveillance testing where there are no symptoms and no known cases for staff working in the participating facilities. Staff will be asked to volunteer to be tested, with testing performed once a week.
“Since the spring, we have introduced many precautions to screen staff and residents within our personal care homes, and to isolate and test anyone who shows symptoms or might have been exposed to COVID-19,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen. “This pilot project will expand the asymptomatic testing that is already underway in personal care homes by testing staff who do not have any symptoms and is the first step in plans for an expansion of this work to other sites in the weeks ahead.”
The pilot project will use the Abbot Panbio COVID-19 rapid antigen test which provides results in about 20 minutes. Any tests that come back as positive will result in a second lab-based test and be reported to public health.
Donwood Manor and Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg and Country Meadows PCH in Neepawa are the sites for the pilot project.
Th pilot project will test the effectiveness of the rapid testing equipment and get a better understanding on how it can be deployed and used in other settings.
The pilot project is expected to start on December 21 and continue for four week the minister noted.
© News4.ca 2020
