As Sask. COVID-19 cases continue to surge, health authority tries out home testing for kids
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is hoping to target unvaccinated children and their families by launching a home screening pilot project which it says is a first in Canada.
Families from 30 schools across the province have received COVID-19 testing kits as part of the pilot project which aims to identify cases of the illness in children under 12 years old who can’t yet get the vaccine.
The pilot launched Tuesday with the SHA briefing some of the participants getting a briefing via a virtual informational meeting.
Carrie Dornstauder is the Pandemic Response Testing Chief for the Saskatchewan Health Authority and she hopes this pilot project will ultimately be able to pick up COVID symptoms in kids earlier. Asymptomatic carriers or those who don’t show symptoms are a big part of this project as those involved take the test twice a week regardless of whether they have any symptoms or not.
“It’s designed to pick up COVID maybe before you get symptoms or in that population that kids fall into that don’t always show their symptoms,” Dornstauder told CTV News.
The test is a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool like in a testing and assessment centre.
“It’s a gentle easy nasal swab so not like the tickle you get when you go to the test and assessment centre. It’s very gentle with five swabs in each nostril and into a tube,” she said.
The results are ready in 15 minutes once the swab is put into a solution.
Saskatchewan is one of the first provinces to try out the tool.
“We really want to focus n children who do not have access to the vaccine as well as the families who have yet to receive the vaccine because we are seeing that 98% of children admitted with COVID are coming from unvaccinated homes,” Dornstauder said.
The participating schools were selected based on a number of factors.
“They were chosen based on a risk assessment which looks at the amount of vaccine, the uptake vaccine in their community as well as the time for transportation to acute care service," Dornstauder said.
"We want to make sure we are taking care of the kids who could potentially get sick and take extra time to get to us.”
The plan is to get some results within two weeks and then have more kits distributed to more schools in the province.
The ultimate goal is to get the kits to all schools in the province with students under the age of 12 attendings even if vaccinations are approved for that age group.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck
Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Every good wedding has to have one teensy, tiny crisis.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.