The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit says Rapid Antigen Screening Tests are not for symptomatic use.
In a release, the Health Unit says they have recently received a number of reports of people using rapid antigen tests to assess whether their symptoms or those of a family member are a result of COVID-19.
The Health Unit says the test is used for COVID-19 screening only.
“Although Rapid Antigen Screening Tests are a good tool for those who are not symptomatic, we do not recommend their use for symptomatic individuals,” says Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. “If someone tests positive on a rapid antigen screening test for COVID-19 they must then book a COVID-19 laboratory-based molecular test (PCR test) at a local COVID-19 Assessment Centre to confirm the rapid screening tool’s result.”
The Health Unit says residents who think they may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested
positive, should first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s Self-Assessment Tool to see if they need to seek further care and contact a COVID-19 assessment centre if they require testing.