Furthering the province's initiative which saw rapid COVID-19 kits distributed to select LCBO locations, a supply of rapid COVID-19 antigen tests will be made available locally this week as part of the Ford government's "holiday pop-up testing blitz."
The province has emphasized that these kits, provided free of charge, are distributed based on "available supply" with a limit of one test kit per person.
Beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, residents in Waterloo Region may be able to receive a free kit at CF Fairview Park, located at 2960 Kingsway Dr. in Kitchener.
The province has indicated that a supply of kits will also be available at the same location on Monday & Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
Additional locations across Ontario are expected to be added to the province's rapid antigen holiday pop-up schedule on a regular basis on Fridays, while locations will be removed "as soon as possible" as their test kit supply is depleted. Appointments are not needed to access any pop-up sites.
Individuals that have symptoms of COVID-19 or may have been exposed to an individual positive for the virus are being asked to not attend pop-up locations. Furthermore, the province has emphasized that rapid tests should be used as a "screening tool" for asymptomatic individuals only - and not for "diagnostic purposes."
Earlier in December, the province's announcement of free COVID-19 rapid test kits at select LCBO locations was met with heavy demand locally, with "first-come, first served" distribution seeing the seven locations in Waterloo Region running out of kits in short order.
