COVID-19 rapid antigen tests in high demand heading into the holidays

A COVID-19 rapid antigen test. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

With Christmas less than two weeks away, COVID-19 rapid antigen tests are the hottest item in the country.

Ontario is set to open holiday pop-up stations to hand out free tests, though no pop-up sites have been announced for Ottawa just yet.

Until Wednesday, pharmacies were charging between $20 and $40 for rapid tests while other provinces were handing out thousands for free.

However, before heading home for the winter break, students across Ontario will be given a set of five free rapid tests to take home.

"I'm really happy we got them, I wish we got a little bit more to keep our family safe," says Gayle Cunningham, whose daughter in grade five received the tests Tuesday.

Cunningham says the school advised families to use two tests per week, but with social plans over Christmas, the family has a different plan.

"We hopefully plan to see my parents for Christmas Day dinner," says the mother of the 10-year-old. "So we will test our daughter because she only has her first dose and she's in school. We will test her the day that we're going for dinner."

That is one strategy health care professionals are advising, according to Calabogie pharmacy owner Khaled Darwish.

"If you're going to a big gathering, better to do it before just to make sure that you're not carrying that," Darwish tells CTV News Ottawa. "It's not going to hurt to do it after as well. If you still have the kit, do another one."

The tests can be completed in under half an hour, with the sample having to sit for 15 minutes after being collected. One line appearing on the test kit means the result is negative, two lines means positive. If the test returns positive, you must isolate until a PCR test can be performed.

There are warnings that come with the rapid tests. Darwish says if the swab is not done deep enough in the nose, you will not get a proper result and the test will be wasted. Health care professionals say the rapid tests are also not 100 per cent accurate.

"My fear is that people will just use them as a one off and then go to parties, and still be infectious," says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the medical officer of health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. "We know that if you're asymptomatic you get high false negatives, and we also know that you can be negative today and positive tomorrow."

Cunningham says having the tests is better than not, and feels comfortable administering them to her daughter after watching an instructional video sent out by the school board. Instructions for the test also come within each box.

"So this is peace of mind for those that we're seeing, peace of mind for sending her back to school," says Cunningham, who remains sceptical of the impact the tests will have on the return to school.

"I wish that it would make a difference. I'm not sure it will make a difference because it isn't mandatory."