It’s a little less difficult to get immediate testing for COVID-19 in New Brunswick.
Free immediate screening kits can now be obtained for walk-in pick-up at selected locations, the Ministry of Health confirmed.
Until now, other people had to book an appointment online by entering their Medicare number, zip code, date of birth, email address and phone number for the test, or by contacting TeleServices at 1-833-437-1424.
“While maximum collection sites require an appointment, several sites have recently requested to offer walk-in testing, depending on their staff and hours of operation,” branch spokesman Sean Hatchard said in an emailed statement.
CBC News has requested a list of those sites. Instead, Hatchard said they were “always indexed in the online scheduler, which has the most up-to-date information about pickup locations. “
The central, east and west branches of the Saint John Free Public Library are the sites that no longer require appointments, CBC confirmed.
Library officials did not respond to an interview request about why they had asked to be allowed to offer the walk-in check kits, or what kind of reaction they received.
There are a total of 80 rapid test kit pickup sites across the province’s seven health zones, according to Hatchard. That’s up from 74 last month.
Distribution sites include libraries, municipalities, and regional fitness authority facilities.
Hatchard did not respond to questions about what prompted the province to now offer walk-in testing in some places, long after it was criticized for not following the lead of other provinces, such as Nova Scotia.
This comes more than a year after the province expanded access by requiring other people with COVID-19 symptoms to be eligible for an immediate screening kit.
Last month, the president and CEO of NB Lung had called on the province to eliminate “hurdles” to accessing the tests.
Langille said Lung NB, which began providing loose instant check kits for pickup at its Fredericton office in September without needing an appointment, is seeing “huge demand” and hearing court cases from others who are “struggling” with government policy. Appointment system.
“They are pleased to be able to enter our workplace [between 8:30 a. m. and 4:30 p. m. ] without encountering any obstacles,” he said.
Langille said it’s vital for other people to get tested to see if their symptoms are due to COVID-19, rather than a respiratory illness, “because it has implications on . . . your eligibility and/or your ability to receive a long-term booster dose. “antiviral remedies [such as Paxlovid] in pharmacies. “
Hatchard reiterated that “not everyone needs to be tested.”
Public Health recommends immediate testing for “other people who are in vulnerable settings and for others who are at higher risk for severe illness and who could benefit from treatment,” Hatchard said.
“For the general public, anyone who is not feeling well should stay home as long as they are in poor health and until symptoms improve. “
Hatchard specified the scope of the call for tests in the province in recent months.
The province has stopped reporting rapid tests results, but the tests are still effective at detecting the latest variants, Hatchard has said.
“An immediate positive point-of-care (POCT) result is a positive case of COVID-19. “
“If you get a negative result on the immediate POCT check and your symptoms worsen or new symptoms appear, you should be checked again within 24 hours. If it is still negative, re-check within 48 hours. “
New Brunswick has an “adequate inventory” of immediate testing, according to Hatchard, who did not provide figures.
Asked about the expiry dates, he said the tests currently being provided to New Brunswickers expire “throughout 2024.”
“Expiry dates vary by manufactured date. As part of good inventory management, the first to expire will be the first out.”
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