Manitoba expanding eligibility for rapid antigen tests

The Manitoba government said it will be expanding eligibility for rapid antigen tests for certain staff in critical service areas – including school teachers and staff – who are showing COVID-19 symptoms.

The Manitoba government said it will be expanding eligibility for rapid antigen tests for certain staff in critical service areas – including school teachers and staff – who are showing COVID-19 symptoms.

In a news release on Tuesday, the province said the eligibility is being expanded to include all designated staff who are symptomatic and work as school teachers or staff with direct, ongoing or prolonged contact with Kindergarten to Grade 12 students.

Eligibility for rapid antigen tests is also being expanded to include symptomatic staff who work:

The province said tests will be provided to staff who are already showing symptoms and are scheduled to work within three days.

"The tests are intended to be used only for designated staff who have COVID-19 symptoms," the province said in the news release.

 The province said home-based early learning and childcare providers should contact their childcare coordinator if they are symptomatic and would like to get a rapid test.

 The province said it is not recommending rapid antigen tests be used for young children at childcare centres, and said caution needs to be taken when doing a swab on a young child who is not able to sit still. The province said if a child has symptoms of COVID-19, parents can bring them to a provincial testing site.