COVID-19: Rapid Testing

PUBLISHED: 17/10/2020 The need for rapid Covid testing is crucial to flattening this curve. When will they be available? Ottawa and Toronto are coping with more lockdowns, and several areas in Quebec are in the same situation. The federal government has announced the purchase of almost 8 million rapid tests. It was aiming to conduct 200 thousand a day across the country, but currently we’re seeing about 70 thousand completed. The question for many is ‘why is it taking so long?’ for Health Canada to give approval. What exactly is available now? What’s coming down the pipe? Will Canada have the lab capacity to meet the demand? ———————————— GUESTS: Dr Steven Newmaster - Genomics Professor at University of Guelph - https://www.uoguelph.ca/ib/newmaster David Juncker - Professor & Chair of the Biomedical Engineer/Genome Centre at McGill University -https://www.mcgill.ca/bbme/david-juncker Christine Neilson - CEO at Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science -https://www.csmls.org/About-Us/About-CSMLS/Staff.aspx ———————————— REFERENCES: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/canada-approves-new-rapid-covid-19-test-for-use-in-coming-weeks-pm-1.5126678 https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lockdown-rapid-testing-1.5758034 https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/10/do-rapid-antigen-tests-have-accuracy-problem/616681/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ottawa-to-buy-nearly-eight-million-rapid-covid-19-tests-despite-lack/ https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-test-and-testing-location-information?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8pD23cax7AIVEI_ICh3_ygd2EAMYASAAEgLh-PD_BwE https://globalnews.ca/news/7369763/canada-rapid-coronavirus-tests/ https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/10/05/health-canada-needs-to-ramp-up-rapid-testing-for-covid-19-as-cases-rise-across-the-country-infectious-disease-experts-say.html https://globalnews.ca/news/7381031/how-coronavirus-rapid-tests-will-help/ https://globalnews.ca/news/7341338/canada-coronavirus-testing-capacity/ https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/09/30/news/ottawa-unveils-deal-buy-millions-rapid-covid-19-test-devices https://financialpost.com/opinion/andrew-richter-the-rapid-need-for-rapid-response-tests https://www.guelphtoday.com/following-up/guelph-company-close-to-bringing-15-minute-saliva-based-covid-test-to-market-2718836 https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/health-canada-approves-id-now-1.5744768 https://healthydebate.ca/opinions/falling-behind-rapid-covid-testing https://www.timescolonist.com/rapid-test-kit-recall-underscores-importance-of-canada-s-lab-technologists-1.24129744 https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-press-newsalert-health-canada-green-lights-first-rapid-covid-19-tes https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid-19-antigen-tests-1.5761718 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rapid-tests-biomedical-engineer-detect-active-infectious-phase-1.5760649 https://www.thespec.com/opinion/editorials/2020/10/15/its-time-for-canada-to-ramp-up-rapid-testing-for-covid-19.html https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2020-10-01-Air-Canada-Finalizing-Initial-Order-for-Newly-Approved-COVID-19-Rapid-Testing-Kits-from-Abbott https://nationalpost.com/opinion/opinion-make-mask-wearing-a-sign-of-personal-strength-not-weakness-lives-depend-on-it?fbclid=IwAR1SHGmozCXCMN2KSAQfLkqeRJy8t9hzfZUK_VzCfs7toSi6Rm34HTqfLdc https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lockdown-rapid-testing-1.5758034 https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/09/21/a-15-minute-covid-19-test-kit-was-recently-approved-in-the-us-why-is-canada-so-far-behind.html