Eastern Ontario pharmacies to offer COVID-19 testing to symptomatic customers
Hundreds of pharmacies across Ontario will now be able to offer COVID-19 testing to people showing symptoms of the virus.
Until this point, pharmacies could only test people who were asymptomatic. The Ontario Pharmacists Association says the change will allow easier access to testing for residents and is an important tool in combatting the pandemic.
"So we have up to 1,300 that have expressed interest, and those pharmacies will be on-boarded over the next couple of weeks," says the association's CEO Justin Bates.
One of those pharmacies getting on board with the change, and the only pharmacy participating thus far in Carleton Place, is Seaway Valley Pharmacy. Owner and pharmacist Ebram Ghobrial says pharmacies are the easiest point of care for many in their communities.
"With the winter coming I would say some people will have some symptoms and they are not sure if it is the flu or COVID," says Ghobrial. "So in order for them to be sure, they would like to perform such a test."
Following the announcement, there were questions about the safety of others in the pharmacies when symptomatic patients enter the building for COVID-19 testing. To combat this, Bates says all symptomatic tests must be done by appointment booked ahead of time.
"So no co-mingling going in, shopping in other aisles, which will reduce or mitigate the risk of other patrons who are shopping from getting the virus," Bates tells CTV News.
Another option available to pharmacists is performing the tests outdoors. Bates says the test must be performed on the pharmacy property, meaning it could be done outside the front door, in a parking lot, or even at a vehicle window.
"If I notice that they have symptoms and it's more than severe," explains Ghobrial. "What I can do is ask them to stay in their car out here in the parking lot and I can go out there to take the specimen."
To find a pharmacy near you that will conduct a symptomatic COVID test, visit the province's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.