Rapid tests ramping up in Ontario schools and LTC homes

Ontario says it will expand the use of rapid COVID-19 testing in schools, long-term care homes and essential workplaces.

Once the program has ramped up, health officials say they expect to have one million rapid tests distributed every week.

They could not provide a timeline though, noting it would depend on how many tests Ontario would secure through the federal government.

The province says it has received six million rapid antigen tests since November, and has distributed approximately two million.

Officials expect to have rapid testing in place in Toronto, Peel and York Region schools when they reopen next week.

Meanwhile, Ontario reported 1,076 new cases of COVID-19 today and 18 more deaths linked to the virus. Health Minister Christine Elliott said there are 361 new cases in Toronto, 210 in Peel Region and 122 in York Region.

The province also announced Friday what restrictions would take effect in public health units leaving the provincewide stayat-home order on Feb. 16.

Pandemic restrictions will loosen in 27 Ontario health units next week as the province moves ahead with a reopening plan criticized in light of projections showing a likely third wave of COVID-19 in the near future without strict protections in place.

Niagara Region will be the only region in the grey-lockdown zone, which allows businesses to open at 25 per cent capacity.

The rest of the regions, most of them outside the Greater Toronto Area, fall elsewhere along the scale that moves from red the second-most strict level behind the grey - through green, with lighter restrictions on businesses and gatherings at each stage.

The reopening plan is going ahead next week against the backdrop of stark scientific modelling presented Thursday that predicted a “third wave” of infections and another lockdown could be prevented with a continuing stay-at-home order.