Pop-up holiday schedule for public to access free, take-home COVID-19 rapid tests

Tests will be distributed in high-traffic areas over the holidays

Ontarians can visit Ontario.ca/holidaytesting to find out if pop-up rapid antigen screening sites have been established in their area.

The Ford government will distribute two million free, take-home COVID-19 rapid tests in high-traffic areas over the holidays including LCBO stores, malls, retail stores, holiday markets, public libraries, and transit hubs.

The schedule released on Friday lists a number of malls in the Greater Toronto Area as well as locations in Peterborough and Kingston.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit tweeted on Thursday afternoon that it does not know where in the region they will be available.

The province said it plans to deploy “pop-up teams” to about 50 locations. Teams will either provide asymptomatic rapid antigen screening on-site or distribute take-home tests.

As well, the take-home rapid tests will be offered for free at 100 of the busiest LCBO stores, with more added to the program in the “coming days,” according to the province.

The province said it is working with local partners, public health units and municipalities to determine specific pop-up sites based on local data and needs.

At sites distributing tests for use at home, there is a limit of one kit per person. Every person that receives a package of tests or gets a test on-site will be provided with information and resources about rapid antigen screening and COVID-19 vaccination.

“Anyone who receives a positive result through their rapid test needs to self-isolate and book a lab-based PCR test at a testing site to confirm the result,” the government said in a media release.

Check the link daily for updates.

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