Ottawa stops sending rapid COVID-19 tests to provinces as millions set to expire – National | 24CA News

The federal authorities has stopped transport speedy COVID-19 antigen exams to provinces as tens of millions are set to run out inside the 12 months, and consultants say the once-essential instrument has misplaced its significance within the pandemic.

There are 90 million speedy exams within the federal stock, Health Canada mentioned in an e-mail. About 80,000 of these are set to run out inside six months and 6.5 million inside the 12 months. The relaxation expire inside two years.

“Canada has robust inventories and is well prepared for COVID response,” Anne Genier, with Health Canada, mentioned in an e-mail.

Ottawa has ordered greater than 811 million speedy exams for the reason that starting of the pandemic with a price ticket of about $5 billion. About 680 million of these went to provinces and territories.

As the fourth wave of the pandemic gripped the nation close to the top of 2021, each area was attempting to get as most of the exams as potential. Hospitals had been overwhelmed in lots of provinces and the speedy antigen exams grew to become a essential a part of the response.

Mahesh Nagarajan, a professor on the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, mentioned it’s a unique scenario two years later.

“I don’t think we should be buying any more of them right now,” Nagarajan, whose focus space is on provide chains, mentioned in a current interview.

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Nagarajan mentioned Canada now has a number of certified and reliable suppliers for the exams. The authorities has established standing gives with the businesses for the provision and supply on an as-needed foundation

Health Canada mentioned the choice to finish shipments on the finish of January was made in collaboration with provinces and territories, because the areas have sufficient provide.

On high of the federal stockpile, provincial well being authorities mentioned theyhave tens of millions of exams.

British Columbia has 28 million exams, with greater than 4 million to run out inside six months.

Quebec has 63 million exams, Alberta has 47.5 million, Saskatchewan has 6.4 million, Manitoba has 11 million, Nova Scotia has about 8 million and Newfoundland has about 2.5 million.

Nearly each area mentioned they’ve thus far not destroyed or repurposed their speedy antigen exams, as a result of Health Canada prolonged the expiration date for a lot of manufacturers. They didn’t clarify an anticipated value or technique if the exams expire earlier than getting used.

The time-frame left for the exams differs relying on the model,however Health Canada has authorised 19 extensions of shelf life starting from six months to 2 years.

The chemical parts within the exams degrade over time, Nagarajan mentioned, so he has considerations.

“Rapid antigen tests to begin with are not the most accurate,” Nagarajan mentioned. “Now you are extending their lifespan?”

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Nagarajan mentioned each nation has stockpiles, however it’s vital Canada study from the pandemic procurement course of.

A scarcity of co-ordinated insurance policies throughout the nation made it exhausting to estimate what number of exams can be wanted. It was a “recipe for high inventories,” Nagarajan mentioned.

Nazeem Muhajarine, a professor of epidemiology on the University of Saskatchewan, mentioned he estimates that for each 5 exams given out by provinces and territories through the pandemic there are two exams sitting in a warehouse.

He mentioned Canada wanted to obtain as many exams because it may after they had been obtainable.

“We have to have a plan _ that’s key.”

Muhajarine mentioned it’s troublesome to know the way vital the speedy antigen exams will proceed to be, as a result of there’s little or no communication now about COVID-19, not to mention authorities plans to deal with challenges the pandemic should deliver.

“That communication has really fallen off precipitously,” he mentioned. “Nobody is talking about COVID, certainly not talking about where to get tests if they need one.”

Having giant stockpiles of speedy antigen exams might not be helpful, particularly if the virus shifts and turns into much less detectable on the units, mentioned Dr. Anna Banerji, an infectious illness specialist at Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine on the University of Toronto.

“Even at the best of times there are limitations on the testing,” she mentioned.

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What is vital is the power to shortly produce or procure them, she added.

Banerji mentioned, in her opinion, individuals are utilizing speedy antigen exams much less as a result of there is no such thing as a longer a public well being technique to take care of COVID-19. She mentioned folks aren’t carrying masks and, in most cases, there is no such thing as a isolation coverage if somebody truly exams optimistic.

If you recognize you may have COVID-19 and don’t do something about it, there’s no level, she mentioned.

“Right now, there is no strategy. We are not looking at numbers. We don’t know how much COVID is out there,” she mentioned.

“What difference is (testing) making now?”

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