COVID-19 test kit program meant for businesses, but being used by parents
CBC
The people behind a program in Waterloo region that offers rapid COVID-19 test kits to local businesses say steps will be taken to ensure the kits go to businesses and not to parents who want to test their children at home.
The StaySafe Screen program is a partnership between the federal government, provincial government and Region of Waterloo to offer the kits to business owners so workers can be regularly tested when they're not showing symptoms of COVID-19.
But CBC News recently reported parents in Toronto were signing up to be "ambassadors" to obtain the test kits, then using them to test their children.
One of the parents is Sam Kaufman of Toronto, who said he was frustrated the Ontario government didn't provide rapid testing to schools. He said he became an "ambassador" through the StaySafe Screen program.
"You may not be able to prevent a classroom from going home, but hopefully you prevent many kids from getting sick and the outbreak getting out of control," Kaufman said.
Communitech, a tech hub in Kitchener, is the host of the Stay Safe Screen program and people pick up the kits in-person at Communitech's office in the downtown core.
Matthew Bondy is Communitech's vice-president of external relations and says he understands why parents would be eager to use the kits for their children, especially those aged 11 and under who cannot yet be vaccinated against COVID-19.
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