B.C. pharmacies today started providing free antigen COVID-19 tests to those older than 30 years old.
Eligible individuals will be able to pick up one kit containing five tests every 28 days. They will need to show their personal health number, and other identification.
Friends or relatives are able to pick up the tests for the eventual recipient, but they would have to provide the recipient's name, personal health number and date of birth.
The B.C. government on Feb. 25 started providing these tests to those aged 70 and older. The government then lowered the eligible age to 60 on March 7, to 50 on March 11, and then to 40 on March 15.
Its plan is to lower the age of those eligible in further tranches.
The government's aim is that people pick up the tests before they are symptomatic so they are able to use them if they do start to feel sick.
As of March 17, the government has shipped almost 7.6 million tests to pharmacy distributors, with more than 2.3 million rapid tests dispensed through more than 1,300 participating pharmacies.
Across all priority populations and pharmacies, more than 30.2 million tests have been distributed, the government said today. •
