On March 17, 2021, the provincial government published guidance for businesses and employees with respect to voluntary, supervised self-swabbing for COVID-19 via rapid antigen point-of-care tests. These tests can be performed at workplaces by trained individuals and do not require shipping a specimen to a lab for processing. This guidance will make it easier for organizations to offer onsite testing as part of efforts to support a safe return to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since November 2020, the province has been deploying rapid test kits to a variety of essential workplaces and sectors. The program is being expanded to first responders, emergency medical services, trucking and transportation, wastewater management, and post-secondary institutions. In the coming weeks, the province intends to deploy over one million tests per week in priority sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, as the province continues to re-open, some employers have expressed interest in privately conducting asymptomatic COVID-19 testing. In response, Ontario has released guidance for individuals or organizations that voluntarily decide to participate in privately-initiated COVID-19 testing, in order to ensure there is appropriate oversight and consumer protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to initiating testing, organizations must contact their local public health unit to advise them that the organization will be engaging in a private testing program. Private testing can only be performed using one of the types of tests permitted under the province\u2019s testing guidance document. Positive results on rapid antigen point-of-care tests must be reported to the local public health unit, and individuals who test positive will also need to undergo a confirmatory lab-based PCR test at an assessment centre or participating community lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n