Sudbury residents can now visit 20 participating grocery store and pharmacy locations throughout the city to pick up a free rapid antigen test kit.
The free rapid antigen test (RAT) kits are being distributed by the Ontario government as part of an initiative to further support the province’s “cautious easing of public health measures,” the province said in a release.
Starting on Feb. 9, more than 2,300 participating grocery stores and pharmacy locations across the province will provide free rapid tests while supplies last, “with a limit of one box of five tests per household per visit.”
Participating stores in Greater Sudbury include Walmart, Shopper’s Drug Mart, Rexall, Costco, Real Canadian Superstore, and Food Basics.
“As we continue to carefully ease public health measures, rapid tests are providing another layer of protection and offer the public an additional tool to confidently do the things they love, like visiting family or dining at their favourite local restaurant,” said Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot.
“In addition to the millions of rapid tests deployed each week to support priority settings, including hospitals, long-term care homes and schools, working with our retail and community partners we are increasing access to at-home rapid tests.”
The province will be distributing five million rapid tests each week for eight weeks through pharmacy and grocery stores locations, as well as 500,000 each week through community partners in vulnerable communities.
The province said it plans to make 44 million rapid tests available to the public for free over the coming weeks.
Participating retailers will receive additional supplies from the province each week and can determine how tests are distributed to best service the community.
This means locations can provide rapid tests through appointment bookings, at checkout, or through online order.
“The province intends to bring additional locations online in the coming weeks, including independent grocers and pharmacies,” the release said.
The retailers providing free rapid antigen testing kits in Sudbury include:
• Bradley Pharmacy, 430 Notre Dame Ave.
• Costco Pharmacy, 1465 Kingsway.
• Chris’s Your Independent Grocer Drugstore, 82 Lorne St.
• Elgin Street Pharmacy, 25 Elgin St.
• Food Basics on 1800 Lasalle Blvd., 1875 Regent St. and 400 Notre Dame Ave.
• Metro, 900 Lasalle Blvid.
• Pharma Plus, 555 Barrydowne Rd.
• Pharmaright Pharmacy, E-1865 Paris St.
• Real Canadian Superstore, 1485 Lasalle.
• Rexall, 848 Lasalle Blvd., 1975 Bancroft Dr., 2009 Long Lake Rd, and 117B Cedar St.
• Shopper’s Drug Mart on 1349 Lasalle Blvd., 86 Elm St, and 2015 Long Lake Rd.
Walmart on 1349 Lasalle Blvd., and 2416 Long Lake Rd.
The Ontario government is also distributing rapid test kits through existing local partnerships such as community centres, community health centres, places of worship, and food banks.
This initiative is meant to support access to testing for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and face barriers to testing, including language, income and transportation.
Lead agencies working as part of the High Priority Communities Strategy will also “have discretion to provide additional boxes depending on individual circumstances such as multi-generational homes or an immunocompromised family member,” the province said.
“While testing is a critical component in our response to COVID-19, vaccination remains the best defense against the virus and its variants,” said Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore.
“Over the next few months, we need to continue following the public health measures that remain in place and vaccinate those who have yet to receive their doses to protect our communities and health care system capacity.”
The free rapid tests provided by the Ontario government are intended for personal use.
“The province can fine any businesses and individuals who may be in breach of the government’s emergency order which prohibits charging unfair prices for necessary goods,” the release warned.
A person who tests positive on a rapid antigen test is no longer required or encouraged to get a confirmatory PCR or rapid molecular test.
“If you test positive on a PCR, rapid molecular, or rapid antigen test, you must isolate,” the province aid.
PCR testing is only available for eligible individuals who are associated with the highest risk settings throughout the province.
The Ontario government has deployed more than 75 million rapid antigen tests since November 2020 with more than 33 million deployed to priority sectors like hospitals, long-term care homes, and retirement homes.
Approximately 26 million tests have been deployed to support school and licensed child care settings.
To date, Ontario has directly procured 157 million rapid tests, including 126 million from December 2021 to January 2022 alone.
“Ontario continues to also work closely with the federal government to address delays in shipments from Health Canada and is also directly procuring additional rapid tests where possible to ensure continued widespread access to rapid antigen tests for Ontarians,” the province said.
“Of the 54.3 million rapid tests the federal government committed to provide Ontario in January, about 36 million have been delivered.”
A list of retailers participating in this initiative as well as information on how retail locations are distributing rapid test kits can be found at www.ontario.ca/rapidtest.
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