An infectious disease physician and researcher in Halifax applauds the ongoing efforts of volunteers distributing rapid test kits during the Omicron surge.
“Nova Scotians are doing a good job of being patient. We still have better access to kits than anywhere in Canada. Especially in a volunteer-driven way,” said Dr. Lisa Barrett, an infectious disease doctor and researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Within a few hours, the Boxing Day supply of take-home rapid tests distributed at the Halifax Convention Centre were gone.
Droves of people descended upon the downtown core both on foot and in their vehicles to try to pick up a kit.
The surge in demand for testing in Nova Scotia has led to the province changing its approach to use the finite resource in a more targeted way.
“We just really need to keep the PCR testing for people who are at high-risk and that’s OK and normal, but just another reminder that as we switch to not doing as much testing, it’s going to look like the case numbers are going down,” Barrett said.
She says people shouldn’t assume that lower case numbers in the coming weeks mean that there is less virus circulating throughout the population.
“It’s going to look like the case numbers go down because we won’t be recording as many because people are doing their own tests at home with antigen test,” she said.
Public health directs people who are close contacts of a confirmed case, or symptomatic, to immediately self-isolate.
Starting Monday, those circumstances must also be followed with people completing an online self-assessment through the provincial website to determine what specific type of test they should proceed with.
The latest information from the province states that most people will be directed to book a rapid test, as PCR slots continue to be limited to those who are most vulnerable to severe disease, integral to health-care system operations or who live in a congregate setting.
“I hope people remember that every person in front of them might be a contact or a positive, and we’re not going to know that as well anymore. So, go forth in the world knowing that COVID’s all around. That’s not a fear thing but make sure you wear your mask really well,” Barrett said.
She also encourages Nova Scotians to not venture too far from their homes over the next couple of weeks while the virus continues to circulate at increased levels.