Free rapid antigen COVID test kits are now available to British Columbians age 40 and older.
People eligible for the tests are able to get one kit containing five tests every 28 days from participating pharmacies. To find a pharmacy, go to bcpharmacy.ca/rapid-tests/list.
A personal health number is required to get the tests. If you are picking up a kit for someone else, you will need their full name, personal health number and birthdate.
Tests are meant to be picked up when you do not have any symptoms, so you have them on hand in case you become ill.
Anyone who tests positive is asked to immediately self-isolate and report their results through reportcovidresults.bccdc.ca.
The government began distributing rapid test kits to people over 70 in February and has been regularly expanding the program to younger age groups.
As of Tuesday, seven million tests had been shipped to pharmacies and more than 1.86 million had been dispensed across B.C.
Provincial health officials are expecting to receive more than four million more tests from the federal government in the next three weeks.
Meanwhile, British Columbia recorded a slight drop in hospitalizations from COVID-19 on Tuesday.
The Health Ministry said in a news release that there were 345 people in hospital and 50 were in intensive care.
On Monday, the province had 359 people in hospital and 51 in intensive care.
The ministry said 91.3 per cent of those eligible 12 and older have received their second dose of a vaccine while 56.7 per cent have had their third shot.
It said there are eight health-care facilities with ongoing outbreaks, although no new ones have been reported. Six of the facilities are on Vancouver Island: Sidney Care Home, Berwick House Gordon Head, The Heights at Mt. View, Greenwoods, Luther Court and Yucalta Lodge.
B.C. reported 237 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, including 34 in Island Health, but officials said the numbers were provisional.
No additional deaths due to the virus were reported. The death toll since the pandemic began is 2,946.
For more information on B.C.’s response to COVID-19 and the test kits, go to gov.bc.ca/covid-19.
— With a file from The Canadian Press
