Where can I get a COVID-19 home test kit in Ontario? | News | toronto.com

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If you still have a COVID-19 antigen rapid test kit in your cupboard, you might want to check the expiry date. New kits are supposed to be distributed to pharmacies shortly, the province said.

With cold and flu season starting, many Ontario residents might also be wondering about the risk of contracting COVID-19 this winter.

A new strain of COVID-19 is making the rounds this fall, and it’s called XEC.

The strain is a subvariant of Omicron, and was found in Germany this June, with other cases reported in Denmark, U.S. and U.K.

According to Public Health Ontario, for the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, a declining moderate risk was reported, with 781 people in hospital with COVID-19, and six deaths reported.

Health Canada has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall — which should be available to the public this week — but the formula doesn’t include protection against XEC.

People can get a COVID-19 vaccine if it has been the recommended six months from their most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose or COVID-19 infection.

Appointments can be booked at participating pharmacies, with dates being offered around Oct. 15 to 21. To book a vaccine appointment, contact your local pharmacy, or visit ontario.ca to see a list of area health providers.

If you haven't had any COVID-like symptoms for awhile, you might want to check the expiry date of your in-home testing kit. The ones you have in the cupboard might have already expired.

Earlier this year, Health Canada extended the shelf life of the ID Now brand COVID-19 tests from 18 to 24 months past the expiration date. But the last batch, labelled M207819, still expired June 13, 2024.

“I had one of those rapid test boxes that came out when we were first inundated with COVID-19 and (recently) I tested positive,” Halton Hills resident Lynda Pogue said. “The thing is that I cannot test my 86-year-old husband because there aren't any tests left in any pharmacies that I can find in Georgetown, Acton or Milton.

“This is actually quite bizarre given that COVID-19 has raised its ugly head again — every pharmacist I spoke to just shrugged.”

Metroland Media called various pharmacies in the Georgetown and Acton area, and most said they didn't have home testing kits anymore, with reasons ranging from “they've stopped making them because they were too expensive” to “they've been expired for awhile and we have received nothing new from the Ministry of Health.”

One store in Acton did say they had some testing kits available, and details were shared with Pogue.

However, more pharmacies should be getting new testing kits to distribute.

“Publicly funded COVID-19 tests will be available this fall respiratory season,” Ontario Ministry of Health director of communications Hannah Jensen said. “Tests are currently being distributed to eligible health-care providers; a batch of tests have been shipped with another batch on the way.”

Jensen added that pharmacies or primary care providers must place an order with the Ministry of Health to receive tests at their location.

“Once an order is placed by the provider in the portal, tests are shipped within one to two business days,” she said.

For older adults who are symptomatic — including sore throat, runny nose, fever or sneezing — contact a primary care provider or pharmacist to find out if they are eligible for testing, if one is available and to arrange to take a test.

The Ministry of Health said it is also switching to a test-to-treat policy, “normalizing COVID-19 treatment and testing in line with existing programs.”

It means public funding testing is only available for symptomatic individuals who are immunocompromised, those who are 65 years of age or older, those with high-risk medical conditions, or for people in high-risk and some congregate living settings, including long-term care.

This approach ensures those who have COVID‑19 symptoms and are at a higher risk of severe illness have access to the tools they need to stay healthy and helps prevent outbreaks in high-risk and congregate living settings, the ministry said.

For more information about COVID-19 testing, visit ontario.ca.