People in London, Ont., will soon have better access to free COVID-19 rapid tests with the province announcing six local LCBOs will soon be stocking take-home rapid test kits.
A release for the LCBO stated that on Friday, Dec. 17, the free take-home tests will be available at all 100 participating LCBO stores across the province. However, as of 8:30 a.m. Friday, the tests were not yet available at any of the six locations listed for London, Ont.
On Wednesday, the province announced it would distribute two million rapid tests through pop-up locations such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets, public libraries and transit hubs — free of charge.
The six London locations, and one each in Woodstock and Sarnia, are a part of the province’s expansion of what was initially only focused on the GTA.
The kits are limited in quantity and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
LCBO Locations are posted below.
London:
- Clarke & Dundas (Argyle Mall)
- Hyde Park & Fanshawe Park Road
- Richmond & Fanshawe Pk (Masonville)
- Wellington & Bradley
- Wonderland & Oxford
- Wonderland & Southdale (Power Centre)
Sarnia:
- Exmouth & Lambton Mall Road
Woodstock:
- Dundas & Springbank
A statement from the Middlesex-London Health Unit said it is pleased to hear that there will be rapid antigen tests available in the Middlesex-London region.
Acting medical officer of health for the Middlesex London Health Unit Dr. Alex Summers told reporters Thursday that the COVID-19 incidence over the last seven days is rapidly rising, with the numbers jumping to 86 per 100,000.
With the Omicron variant becoming the dominant variant in the region, Summers said all new cases in the region are being treated as Omicron. Because of this, he said any close contacts with a positive case are required to quarantine for 10 days, regardless of their vaccine status.
In addition to the availability of rapid antigen tests, MLHU notes that the availability of rapid tests will not alleviate the threat of omicron on our community this holiday season.
Summers also said that regardless of rapid tests, people should not gather over the holidays.
— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues