Calgary company sees demand for COVID-19 testing increase amid Alberta's new health restrictions
A Calgary company that offers mobile COVID-19 testing says demand for the service has increased significantly over the past few months and is expected to grow even more given Alberta's new Restriction Exception Program.
Numi is a health care hub that offers virtual care and mobile medical services. In addition to on-demand and at your doorstep COVID-19 testing, you can also book things like blood work and lab tests, sexual health tests and IV nutrient therapy.
Numi CEO Peter Verburg said though he came up with the idea for the company in 2017, its launch in 2020 happened to coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It put a bit more urgency into the whole project because it was obvious that the pandemic was really the mechanism that would create the market for a business like this," Verburg said.
The company also has COVID-19 testing at both Calgary and Edmonton's international airports.
"We're testing a very significant percentage of the people now that are heading out of Alberta on planes because of these airport locations."
Verburg said the demand for COVID-19 testing in general has definitely increased as of late.
"Our testing volumes have steadily grown over the last few months and we're now running – as of next week it should be 5,000 or 6,000 tests a week.
A lot of that is tied to the start up of travel again in the summer," he said. "There's been a pretty significant increase in travel-related testing."
"We've also had a significant increase in our corporate testing."
Numi is also used by educational institutions throughout the province to deliver rapid COVID-19 testing to students.
Verburg said as soon as Alberta's UCP government announced proof of vaccination requirements on Wednesday they began getting calls from people within the restaurant and entertainment industry.
"The fortunate thing for us is we did develop a platform that accommodates this kind of scaling."
He said Numi is hiring "constantly" and typically seeks to hire RNs or LPNs with a minimum of five years experience.
To have Numi come to your home or office you have to book using the Numi app. However, those looking for a COVID-19 test at one of Numi’s pop-up locations at the airport or a pharmacy must book through the Numi website.
Services are typically offered same day or next day.
The company has both antigen and PCR COVID-19 testing with results normally available within 24 hours. Testing is focussed on asymptomatic patients.
Mobile COVID-19 test results are shared via the Numi app or email. Printed certificates are also available.
"We do a lot of mobile COVID-19 testing but we've seen a very healthy ramp up in our other offerings as people become more aware of what we have to offer," he said.
"The idea for this company came up before the pandemic and we plan to be around for long after the pandemic."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.