N.W.T. making rapid tests available for people entering territory over land

Rapid antigen COVID-19 tests will be distributed to people entering the N.W.T. by land starting this weekend.

In a late Friday night news release, the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer said every vehicle will receive at least one testing kit, which contains five tests.

Test will begin to be distributed at the following locations and times:

• Highway 1 at the Alberta 60th parallel check point, on the morning of Jan. 8, 2022. 
• Highway 8 at the Yukon/N.W.T check point, on Jan. 9, 2022, or as soon as weather and logistics allow. 
• Highway 7 at the B.C./N.W.T. check point, on Jan. 11, 2022. 

The OCPHO said it's aiming "to deliver two tests per vehicle occupant with a minimum of one box distributed per vehicle."

Rapid antigen tests were not previously available for people entering the territory by land.

The N.W.T. government had made the tests available for incoming travelers only at the Yellowknife and Inuvik airports.