More rapid self tests distributed in Sask., but some people are confused about when to use them
CBC
The rush on free rapid antigen self-tests in Saskatchewan was huge at the end of October when they first became available.
On the first day of distribution, the Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce ran out of test kits within 45 minutes. In Saskatoon and Regina, lines formed as people waited to grab the kits.
Since then demand has become a bit quieter, but the tests continue to be available for free in the province.
Just last week, on Nov. 17, 2021, Saskatoon's TCU Place received a fresh supply of test boxes from the province to hand out to people.
"It's been smooth and it's been easy," said Tammy Sweeney, chief executive officer at TCU Place.
"It's been steady but not overwhelming. There's not been major lineups. It's very quick for people to get in and out."
TCU Place staff has been distributing rapid antigen self test kits since the beginning of November.
Sweeney said the first couple of days were busier than what they see now.
"We would have a few hundred people in a day," she said. "Now we're probably getting, I would say, about 100 a day."
On Wednesday, the facility had about 2,000 test kits, each of which contain five individually packed test devices.
Sweeney said in an email that TCU Place will continue to receive more kits from the province until further notice. She said the supply should keep flowing until the end of the year.
The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce also continues to hand out free test kits to residents in the city. After being out of stock for a while, it recently received 4,744 new kits and started distributing them on Tuesday, the Chamber said.
Between October 2020 and Nov. 12, 2021, the federal government sent more than 6.5 million rapid antigen tests to Saskatchewan, according to an email from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA).
As of Nov. 12, the province had distributed more than 532,000 tests to chambers of commerce, fire halls, hotels and malls, the agency said.
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