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
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.