The Government of Ontario announced Wednesday that it will be making COVID-19 rapid tests available free of charge to residents at pop-up and select LCBO locations with immediate effect in what the province calls is “blink check holiday”.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcement in Toronto alongside Health Secretary Christine Elliott, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kieren Moore and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones amid rising COVID-19 cases and concerns There is growing interest in the highly transmissible variant of Omicron.
“To provide an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 and holiday variants, we launched a holiday blitz test as part of our winter testing strategy,” said Elliott. ours.
“Starting today, at pop-up locations, such as malls, holiday markets, public libraries, and transit centers, Ontario residents will be provided with a rapid test kit to their home or provided rapid antigen screening in situ.”
Rapid in-home tests will be conducted at Yorkdale Mall, Scarborough Town Centre, Upper Canada Mall, Canada Square and Water Park Place, among other locations across the province.
According to the government, the sites will distribute free at-home rapid antigen testing kits, subject to availability, and some will provide on-site asymptomatic rapid antigen screening, according to the government. goverment.
For a full list of pop-up test locations where free quick tests are being distributed, click here.
The government also said it would carry out rapid door-to-door tests at select LCBO retailers, starting “with the busiest stores this week and with more stores to be added in the coming weeks”. next day.” Locations and hours of operation will be updated weekly and no appointment is required.
In an effort to limit the spread of the Omicron variant, Ford also announced on Wednesday that anyone over the age of 18 will be eligible to book a COVID-19 booster vehicle as of Monday and all Locations in the province with a typical capacity of 1,000 or more people will be limited to 50% capacity going forward.
This is an evolving story. More to come…
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