It’s a bit easier to access COVID-19 rapid tests in New Brunswick.
Free drop-in pick-up kits will now be available at chosen locations, the Department of Health confirmed.
Until now, people had to book an appointment online by entering their Medicare number, postal code, date of birth, email address and phone number to access the tests, or by contacting Tele-Services 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 requested a list of those sites. Instead, Hatchard said they’re “always indexed in the online scheduler, which has the maximum up-to-date data on 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 promptly respond to an interview request about why they asked to be offering the walk-in test kits, or what kind of reaction they received.
According to Hatchard, there are a total of 80 drop-in kit collection sites across the province’s seven fitness zones. 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 decide to offer the tests without appointments at some locations now, long after it has faced criticism 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, NB Lung president and CEO called on the province to remove “barriers” to testing.
Melanie Langille said NB Lung, which began offering free rapid test kits for pick up at its Fredericton office in September without any need for an appointment, was seeing a “huge demand” and hearing complaints from people who were “having some challenges” with the government’s 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 important for people to test so they know whether their symptoms are due to COVID-19, as opposed to another respiratory illness, “because that has implications on … your eligibility for future booster doses and/or your ability to maybe get some antiviral treatments [such as Paxlovid] at the pharmacy.”
Hatchard reiterated that “not everyone wants to get tested. “
Public Health recommends rapid tests for “people who work in vulnerable settings and for people who are at a higher risk of severe illness and who may benefit from treatment,” said Hatchard.
“For the general public, anyone feeling unwell should stay at home while sick and until symptoms improve.”
Hatchard did not say how big a demand the province has seen for the tests 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 check again in 24 hours. If you are still negative, check again in 48 hours. “
New Brunswick has “an adequate inventory” of rapid tests, according to Hatchard, who did not provide any numbers.
Asked about the expiry dates, he said the tests currently being provided to New Brunswickers expire “throughout 2024.”
“Expiration dates vary depending on the date of manufacture. As part of stock management, the first to expire will be the first to faint. “
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