Greens call for greater access to COVID-19 rapid tests before Easter weekend

The Green Party is calling on the New Brunswick government to make COVID-19 rapid tests more accessiblebefore Easter weekend.

Experience has shown that long weekends are followed by "an uptick" in COVID cases, Green Leader David Coon said in a news release.

"New Brunswickers want to have peace of mind that they won't be putting elderly or immunocompromised family members at risk by visiting them this long weekend," he said.

But the Department of Health contends "overall, access to rapid point-of-care testing (POCT) is not an issue."

Although the province began limitingaccess to rapid testsin Januaryto people between the ages of two and49 with COVID symptoms, department spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane told CBC Tuesday that's no longer the case.

"Tests are available to anyone that wants them regardless of their age," he said in an emailed statement. "Public Health's only requirementfor rapid testing is for an individual to have symptoms of COVID-19."

In addition, people 50 and older, who are targeted forPCR(polymerase chain reaction) lab testing, may opt to pick up a rapid test kit instead during the online registration process, said Macfarlane.

He could not immediately say when eligibility for rapid tests changed or how or where the change was made public.

"Premier Higgs keeps saying he wants New Brunswickers to make decisions to protect themselves, but how can they do that when most don't even have access to simple tools such as rapid tests?"Megan Mitton, health critic for the Greens and the MLA for Memramcook-Tantramar, said in the news release.

"He needs to make rapid tests accessible to all New Brunswickers by offering them in communities across the province."

The news release notes neighbouring Nova Scotiaprovides free access to rapid tests to anyone who wants them and makes them available in public locations, such aslibraries and MLA constituency offices.

In New Brunswick, people with COVID symptomsmust go through the province'sCOVID-19 testing website, click on "get tested," and fill out an online questionnaire.

They must also make an appointment to pick up rapid tests.

But the tests are available at more than50 regional health authority sites across the province,with appointments available for same day or next day pick up, the department spokesperson said.

"We are aware that some locations are busier than others. However, every effort is made to ensure New Brunswickers have timely access to rapid tests with sites monitored for fluctuations in demand, and real time adjustments made as needed," Macfarlane said.

4-day wait 'unacceptable'

Liberal health critic Jean-Claude D'Amours said during department estimates he was "flabbergasted" that some people have to wait up to four days for an appointment.

He questioned how the province can tell people it's important to get tested, yet make them wait96 hours.

"I hope that [Health Minister Dorothy Shephard] will be as mad as I am," he said. "I can't believe that one couldn't be more efficient than that."

Shephard acknowledged 96 hours is "unacceptable."

"I completely agree with that," she said, quickly addingthat it's "not the norm."

On Wednesday, for example, only 15 per cent of available appointments to pick up rapid tests arebooked, said Shephard. "So there's lots of capacity there."

She noted, however, Bathurstis at 100 per cent.

Anyone who waits more than 72 hours can call "so that we can try to address it and make sure that there hasn't been a mistake or problem;a computer glitch," said Shephard.

Still, the province will "look at" increasing the number of distribution sites "where appropriate," she said, without offering any specifics.

The province is currently seeing between55 and 70 per centof all appointmentsused,and thebooking system ensures kits are available for everyone who visits the site, Macfarlane said.

A total of 1.9 million rapid tests were delivered through assessment centres in the month of December alone, he said. "It is important to have mechanisms in place to manage volumes, and deter individuals from stockpiling."

Health Canada provides the provinces with monthly allocations of rapid tests, based on population size.

"There is no anticipated cost for New Brunswick for fiscal 2022 as the federal government has recently confirmed their commitment to continue to supply provinces with POCT [point-of-care rapid-test kits],"Macfarlane said.

Rapid tests aren't perfect, said Shephard. She cited the example of someone she knows whotested Monday and got a positive result andtested again Tuesday and got a negative result.

She encouraged the person to book a PCRtest, she said,because they're over 50.

"Anyone over 50 can choose to get a POCTtest as opposed to PCR. That choice is available to them.

"But because age is the most serious risk factor, Iwould encourage anyone over 50 to go the little extra andget a PCR test so that they can be assured of what their result is."