As the province’s stockpile is distributed and the federal program ends, Albertans may have difficulty finding free at-home Covid-19 tests and may have to pay for the tests they do find.

Ottawa’s free COVID-19 rapid antigen distribution program, which provided kits to provinces and territories, ended Oct. 1 and there are no plans to replenish the inventory.

Alberta Health confirmed its entire stock went to pharmacies.

“Although supply is limited, there are still many pharmacies in Alberta that continue to provide supply,” the ministry said in a statement, directing people to a map. he said. Alberta Blue Cross Inventory site.

“If Albertans cannot find a pharmacy that offers free rapid antigen tests, they may choose to purchase a test kit from a pharmacy or online retailer.”

Heba Elbayoumi, owner and pharmacist at Heathers Pharmacy at 10 Street NW in Calgary, says she regularly has patients seeking testing.

“This is something we’re getting phone calls and questions (about). People are still calling them,” he said.

Elbayoumi said he resorted to ordering a special stock of rapid tests to sell to patients.

“There’s actually quite a lot of demand,” he said.

“I have nurses call them, I have people who work in assisted living facilities get tested before they go back to work if they’re worried they have something. I have people or people who are going through chemotherapy or cancer treatments. They’re going to be visiting their grandparents, and before they do that, they want to get checked and tested first.” .”

Some pharmacies are offering on-site testing, and Alberta Health is still providing laboratory-based COVID PCR testing for people at risk of severe outcomes to support their clinical care and outbreak management in high-risk facilities.

Can I still use expired tests?

Most rapid tests available to Albertans through the federal program will expire at the end of the year, but many health officials say you can still use them within reason.

The expiration date stated on the box or label of the kit is determined by the manufacturer, but Health Canada also donated Various shelf life extensions for some rapid tests.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. from the University of Calgary. Lynora Saxinger says there’s still value in using the kits for about a year after their expiration date.

He says that as a general rule, a positive Covid test should be treated as a positive infection, but a negative result cannot necessarily guarantee that there is no Covid infection.

“If it’s more than a year from the date on the test kit, you can probably use it as long as you’re willing to accept that you probably won’t get a COVID infection, which may be less susceptible to the virus.” getting an infection – but if you test positive, even a mildly positive, that’s something you can have reasonable confidence in.”

He said there is still value in knowing whether you’ve tested positive, especially for people who are at higher risk of serious consequences.

“If a rapid test can help people make good decisions, I think there’s value in having those, but providing them centrally over a really long period of time and using them as generously as we used to may not be as justified as in the past. So I think we’re somewhere in the middle on that.” “

COVID cases in Alberta

As COVID cases rise in Alberta, a lack of access to rapid testing is emerging.

According to the state’s data respiratory virus dashboardThere were 591 new COVID cases in Alberta between October 20-26; 313 people were in hospital and 15 people were in intensive care.

Four more people died during this time; There have been a total of 119 COVID-related deaths in Alberta since the end of August, when the province began tracking the respiratory season.

Cumming School of Medicine professor and long COVID researcher Dr. People need to take precautions and precautions, says Satish Raj

“If you’re not feeling well, you should stay home and not expose yourself to a group of people, Covid or not,” Raj said.

“What you have is probably contagious. You’re probably better off: a) trying to get better and b) trying to protect others by not going to work or school when you don’t feel well.”

“I think we need to understand this as a society, and this is not just something specific to Covid-19.”

Health officials are also encouraging people to get fall vaccinations to help stop the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID, flu and RSV and prevent serious illness.

You can make your COVID-19 and flu vaccine appointments through Alberta Health Services.