The government of Ontario is taking steps to control the rising number of Omicron cases. The Ontario government will be handing out free rapid antigen tests in Cornwall, Ottawa, and Kingston to ensure increased awareness, higher testing, and early detection. On Saturday, kits were handed out at the Hazelden Mall in Kanata and Rideau Centre in Ottawa. About two million rapid tests will be distributed free of cost at high-traffic locations.
Need for Rapid
Antigen Tests in Ontario
There are three
purposes for getting rapid antigen tests in Ontario. They are:
·
For people without symptoms
·
For people with COVID-19
symptoms
·
Test to work purposes
Key Locations
Some of the
locations that you can visit are
§
On Saturday, Jan. 8 – Ottawa at
10 am at Hazeldean Mall on Eagleson Road in Kanata, or 10 am at CF Rideau
Centre on Rideau Street
§
On Monday, Jan. 10 – Kingston, 10
am at Queen's University (Queen's Centre) at 99 University Ave.
§
On Tuesday, Jan. 11 – Kingston,
10 am at Queen's University (Queen's Centre) at 99 University Ave.
§
On Wednesday, Jan. 12 –
Kingston, 10 am at Queen's University (Queen's Centre) at 99 University Ave.
§
On Thursday, Jan. 13 –
Kingston, Cornwall, 7 am at Cornwall Square – 1 Water Street East, Cornwall and
10 am at Queen's University (Queen's Centre) at 99 University Ave. in Kingston.
§
On Friday, Jan. 14 – Kingston,
Cornwall, 7 am at Cornwall Square* – 1 Water Street East, Cornwall and 10 am at
Queen's University (Queen's Centre) at 99 University Ave. in Kingston.
§
On Saturday, Jan. 15, 7 am at Cornwall
Square – 1 Water Street East, Cornwall.
One kit per
person will be distributed at these sites, and access will be subject to
available supply.
The
Controlled Ticket System
The Cornwall
Square mall has stated that it will distribute 3,000 test kits per a controlled
ticket system in which tickets will be distributed in advance. It is done to
"unnecessary lines and chaos at the time of distribution." A person
must have address proof to get a kit, and you can’t pick it for someone else.
The mall said,
"Cornwall Square management understands that rapid antigen tests are in
high demand and are currently extremely hard to obtain. We request that members
of the community practice patience, kindness, and respect towards each other
and the members of our staff during the distribution process."
Free Kits in
Guelph
Guelph will be
handing out rapid antigen tests at the University of Guelph and University
Centre from 10 am on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Rapid Antigen
Tests for Small and Medium Organizations in Ontario
With the rising
number of COVID-19 cases, many businesses are also worried about whether their
staff has the deadly infection or not. If you own or operate such a business,
you should contact one of the authorized pharmacies to distribute rapid antigen
kits. There are countless such pharmacies. To know the full list of pharmacies
authorized to distribute rapid antigen test kits to small and medium
organizations, click here
Read about
Ontario’s worker health and safety over here.
Sources:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/testing-screening-contact-tracing/workplace/pharmacy-list.html
https://www.insauga.com/rapid-antigen-tests-will-not-be-handed-out-this-week-in-mississauga-and-brampton-but-heres-where-you-can-get-them/
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/cornwall-ont-mall-using-ticket-system-to-hand-out-rapid-antigen-tests-1.5732782
https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/free-covid-rapid-antigen-testing-kits-coming-to-guelph-next-week-4933755
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/here-s-where-you-can-pick-up-a-free-rapid-antigen-test-in-ottawa-and-eastern-ontario-this-week-1.5731945