The federal government has stopped shipping rapid COVID-19 antigen tests to provinces as millions are set to expire within the year, and experts say the once-essential tool has lost its importance in the pandemic.
There are 90 million rapid tests in the federal inventory, Health Canada said in an email. About 80,000 of those are set to expire within six months and 6.5 million within the year. The rest expire within two years."Canada has robust inventories and is well prepared for COVID response," Anne Genier, with Health Canada, said in an email.
Mahesh Nagarajan, a professor at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, said it's a different situation two years later. Health Canada said the decision to end shipments at the end of January was made in collaboration with provinces and territories, as the regions have enough supply.British Columbia has 28 million tests, with more than four million to expire within six months.
The time frame left for the tests differs depending on the brand,but Health Canada has approved 19 extensions of shelf life ranging from six months to two years."Rapid antigen tests to begin with are not the most accurate," Nagarajan said. "Now you are extending their lifespan?" Nazeem Muhajarine, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, said he estimates that for every five tests given out by provinces and territories during the pandemic there are two tests sitting in a warehouse."We have to have a plan -- that's key."
المملكة العربية السعودية أحدث الأخبار, المملكة العربية السعودية عناوين
Similar News:يمكنك أيضًا قراءة قصص إخبارية مشابهة لهذه التي قمنا بجمعها من مصادر إخبارية أخرى.
Ottawa ends shipments of rapid COVID-19 tests as millions set to expireThe federal government has stopped shipping rapid COVID-19 antigen tests to provinces as millions are set to expire within the year, and experts say the once-essential tool has lost its importance in the pandemic.
اقرأ أكثر »
COVID-19: One new death in twice-weekly update from Ottawa Public HealthOttawa (Reported Tuesday, last update Friday)
اقرأ أكثر »
COVID-19: One new death in twice-weekly update from Ottawa Public HealthOttawa (Reported Tuesday, last update Friday)
اقرأ أكثر »
GARRIOCH: Senators open two-game series against Detroit with huge 6-2 winThe Ottawa Senators served notice Monday they’re alive and kicking.
اقرأ أكثر »
Deachman: Why Ottawa should look to Calgary when converting office space to housingFacing 12 million square feet of empty office space — more than 30 per cent of its total — Calgary developed a plan to convert half of that space to residential within 10 years.
اقرأ أكثر »
DEACHMAN: Ottawa should look to Calgary when converting office space to housing, here's whyFacing 12 million square feet of empty office space — more than 30 per cent of its total — Calgary developed a plan to convert half of that space to residential within 10 years.
اقرأ أكثر »