45% of Canadians plan to ask holiday guests to get a COVID-19 test: Survey
With little still known about the new Omicron variant regarding its transmissibility and the severity of disease, there are some doctors who would like to see rapid tests more available to all Albertans.
Dr. Raj Bhardwaj would like to see the tests be free and available to avoid a surge in COVID-19 cases over the holidays.
“This isn’t Christmas of 12 months ago when we had no vaccines, we have some layers of protection which give people this idea that we can gather safely and rapid tests are just another layer of protection that allow us to gather safely. So, I kind of feel like a safe Christmas is being held back from us and I don’t want to go another Christmas without seeing family in person,” he says.
“We’re running out of time and will be stuck reacting (again) instead of being proactive for once,” Bhardwaj said in a Tweet.
Dr. Joe Vipond, meanwhile, is calling on the federal government to provide a “respirator-style mask” to all Canadians once a week free of charge and seven rapid tests per household, per week.
“OK Canada. I think we need to double down, on everything,” he wrote on Twitter. “Let's use collective action to keep us safe. #BreatheandTestFree.”
Abdul Kanji is the pharmacist at the Corner Drug Store in East Village and also agrees it would be beneficial for people to have access to the tests at home.
“Rapid tests are quite easy to do so, that would be a good thing to have so you don’t miss work and at the same time you keep the family protected at home,” he says. “It would be beneficial I supposed rather than missing school they take a rapid tests, if it’s negative than they go to school so I see good things in that perspective.”
In Alberta, employers and service providers can apply to receive free rapid testing kits through the government’s rapid testing program.
They’re also available for students and staff in K-to-6 schools dealing with an outbreak. The voluntary program has only been used a handful of times between Calgary’s two major school boards.
The province has given out six million kits to date and say there is ample supply which Dr. Bhardwaj finds frustrating.
He says if a supply shortage isn’t the issue than Albertans deserve to know why access isn’t being expanded.
“The federal government acquired millions of these rapid tests and distributed them to the provinces and Alberta for the most part has been sitting on them and I’d really like to understand why,” he says. “A lot of the Atlantic provinces are doing this, Saskatchewan is doing this and a lot of places in Europe they’ll give you tests for free and ask you to test yourself every three days, so it’s doable we’re not reinventing the wheel here it’s just deciding that hmmm, Alberta is a really good place to use a wheel.”
The province says the focus is on providing tests to high risk populations, workplaces and essential services.
Holiday survey of Canadians during COVID
OVER A WEEK OF OMICRON
It’s been more than one week now since the first cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant were detected in Canada.
On Monday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said there were eight new cases of the Omicron variant detected in Alberta since Dec. 3, bringing the total to 11 in the province.
COVID-19 testing is top of mind for many Canadians planning to celebrate with loved ones over the holiday.
According to a new online survey by Rapid Test and Trace Canada, a large retailer of rapid COVID tests in Canada, 46 per cent of Canadians plan to ask family and friends to get tested before a holiday visit.
In Alberta, 72.3 percent of men surveyed expect there to be an argument over asking someone to be tested for a gathering which is well above the national average of 58.3 per cent.
Fifty-three percent of people surveyed also said they plan to limit visits due to COVID concerns this holiday season.
The survey was conducted online of some 1000 Canadians between November 18th and December 6th.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice
A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches.
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault
Const. Bridget Morla, a Leduc RCMP officer, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident that happened two years ago.
Ontario dad removes hockey rink at heart of neighbour dispute
A Markham dad who drew the ire of neighbours and the city after installing a hockey rink in his backyard says the rink has now been taken down.
Kingston, Ont. doctor in 'disbelief' after being ordered to repay $600K for pandemic vaccination payments
An Ontario health tribunal has ordered a Kingston, Ont. doctor to repay over $600,000 to the Ontario government for improperly billing thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic.
Trump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office there will be “HELL TO PAY."
Motivated by obsession: Canadians accused in botched California murder plot in police custody
Two Canadians are in police custody in Monterey County, California, after a triple stabbing police say was motivated by a B.C. man's obsession with a woman he played video games with online.
AC/DC reveals 2025 North American tour. This Canadian city is the only one to make the cut
Big news for AC/DC fans as the heavy metal bigwigs announced Monday they will hit the road next spring. But as of now, there’s only one Canadian show on the docket.
Belly fat linked to signs of Alzheimer’s 20 years before symptoms begin, study says
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory centre of their brain shrinks and beta amyloid and tau may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
More RCMP and CBSA ‘human resources’ destined for border, Public Safety Minister LeBlanc says
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will 'absolutely' be adding more Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP ‘human resources’ at the border.