Free rapid test kits are available to the general public at thousands of grocery and pharmacy locations across the province.
The Ontario government announced the expanded rollout of tests on Wednesday.
As announced, five million rapid tests will be distributed to participating locations each week for a period of eight weeks. The province also said community partners in vulnerable communities will receive 500,000 tests each week.
“As we continue to carefully ease public health measures, rapid tests are providing another layer of protection and offer the public an additional tool to confidently do the things they love, like visiting family or dining at their favourite local restaurant,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott.
Over 2,300 participating grocery and pharmacy locations will distribute one box of five tests per household per visit, while supplies last. Each retailer will decide how the test kits are distributed.
Shelly Kiroff, senior vice president of Health and Wellness and Pharmacy at Walmart Canada, said they’re looking forward to their partnership with the provincial government to provide customers with at-home tests.
“We will be doing that through our online pick-up service where customers will be able to place orders and with that order, they’ll be able to pick up a rapid test while supplies last,” said Kiroff.
A list of participating locations shows 13 retailers providing test kits in Sarnia, 78 in London, 14 in Chatham, and 42 in Windsor. A full list of locations can be found at Ontario.ca/rapidtest.
“While testing is a critical component in our response to COVID-19, vaccination remains the best defence against the virus and its variants,” said Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore. “Over the next few months, we need to continue following the public health measures that remain in place and vaccinate those who have yet to receive their doses to protect our communities and health care system capacity.”
The province has procured a total of about 157 million rapid tests.
During Wednesday’s news conference, Elliott also said an announcement will be made in the coming days in regards to resuming non-urgent and non-emergent surgeries.
