People age 18 and over can now get free rapid antigen test kits at B.C. pharmacies.
Effective Wednesday (March 23), eligible individuals can pick up one kit of five tests every 28 days from participating pharmacies at no cost.
To pick up a kit, they must present their personal health number. If someone is picking up a kit on their behalf, they must supply the name, personal health number, and date of birth.
Test kits should not be picked up when you have symptoms of COVID-19; they should be picked up to use at a future time when you show symptoms of the virus.
Guidelines for testing continue to indicate tests should be used for symptomatic individuals.
As of March 21, almost 7.8 million tests have been shipped to pharmacy distributors with more than 2.7 million rapid tests dispensed through more than 1,300 participating pharmacies in B.C. Across all priority populations and pharmacies, more than 34.7 million tests have been distributed.
An additional 4.4 million tests are expected from the federal government in March and early April, said the B.C. government.
While the rapid antigen self-testing kits that people receive at clinics are Health Canada approved, there are still several things to keep in mind about the testing process. Find out more information about using COVID-19 rapid self-testing kits at home.
