More public health units in Ontario say they are changing their approach to COVID-19 testing and contact tracing as cases surge due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Niagara Region Public Health said it is beginning to shift resources away from contact tracing to delivering booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which it said can “better blunt” the Omicron wave.
Growing case numbers are making it difficult for people to access testing in a timely manner, which in turn is delaying the identification of cases for followup, the health unit said.
At the same time, Omicron has shortened the time between exposure and becoming contagious, making it less likely health officials can intervene early enough to break the chains of transmission, it said.
“The utility of following up with cases and contacts has diminished, and will become increasingly less valuable as testing delays increase and case numbers overwhelm (Niagara Region) Public Health’s capacity,” the unit said.
Case management and contact tracing will increasingly be handled by artificial intelligence and outsourced support, it said.
The Hastings Prince Edward public health unit, which covers the Belleville, Ont., area, said it will no longer be able to call everyone who tests positive within a 48-hour period, and will instead focus on responding to cases in high-risk settings such as schools and long-term care.
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The health unit said those who undergo testing should monitor the results online and contact their high-risk contacts if they test positive.
On Tuesday, Ontario’s top doctor said the province is preparing to change its strategy on COVID-19 testing and case management in light of Omicron, with guidance expected in the coming days.
Earlier this week, Ottawa Public Health asked residents who show symptoms of COVID-19 but can’t book a test quickly to assume they are infected and self-isolate.
Health officials in Kingston, Ont., also reported a strain on testing resources last week.
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