Rapid COVID-19 tests for businesses part of 'return to normal,' N.W.T. health minister says

The N.W.T. government launched a COVID-19 screening program Tuesday that allows businesses and organizations to test employees who work with the public, even if they don't have symptoms.

DetectNWT is meant to help detect COVID-19 early and prevent its spread, according to N.W.T. health minister Julie Green.

"Testing front-line staff in high-traffic facilities twice a week is one way to monitor people who don't have any symptoms of COVID-19 but who are carrying the virus," she said at a Tuesday news conference.

She added the program started accepting applications from businesses and organizations today, providing them testing kits, which include 23 rapid antigen tests, and training to develop a program that works for their organisation.

The tests provide results in 15 minutes.

Last Friday, gathering restrictions were loosened in the Yellowknife area and a vaccine passport program came into effect across the territory, allowing businesses and organizations to have more people in their facilities.

'A ton of confidence'

The Copperhouse Eatery and Lounge has been piloting the test for the past week.

"Business continuity is what's most important for us," said the eatery's Mark Henry.

He said testing staff twice a week gives "us a ton of confidence that our serving staff who are interacting with our guests in close proximity are at a very low likelihood of spreading the virus to our guests."

The Salvation Army's Jason Brinson, who also piloted the program, said the program was easy to implement, the tests were easy to give and they were provided with all the support from the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority they needed.

Missed the news conference? Watch it here.

'We would like to return to normal'

Melisssa Holzer, a registered nurse and the team lead on the program for the N.W.T. Health and Social Services Authority, said businesses and organizations that work directly with vulnerable populations, or are a high contact service, or provide an essential service or support economic and social activities, will be given priority as they consider program applications. 

"We have quite a few participants interested so we are just prioritizing requests right now," she said.

She added that anyone who tests positive on a rapid antigen test will still have to get that test confirmed at a testing centre.

The territory has "a healthy supply of rapid antigen tests" now, she said, and plans to have about 30,000 of them.

In a news release, the health authority said the program can't be used "for people who need testing because they have symptoms of COVID-19, have returned from travel, or have been advised to get tested by public health."

"This is all aimed at prevention," said Minister Green. "We want to get to a point where early detection of COVID prevents outbreaks.

"We would like to return to normal and this is one of the ways we can work towards that."