Rapid tests, instructions for use | The Press

(Montreal) The free distribution of 4.2 million rapid screening tests for COVID-19 begins this Monday in Quebec pharmacies. Everyone aged 14 and over will be able to get a box of five rapid COVID-19 tests. Here's how.

How do I receive my rapid test kit?

As of Monday, each pharmacy in Quebec will receive a first case of 108 kits of 5 tests. Some pharmacies in more remote areas will receive them on Tuesday at the latest.

The ways to get your kit will vary depending on the pharmacy, says Hugues Mousseau, general manager of the Quebec Association of Pharmacy Distributors, to La Presse.

Jean Coutu, Brunet and Familiprix will offer an online service that will allow Quebecers to reserve their box of COVID-19 tests in the majority of their affiliated pharmacies. To book, people will have to make an appointment on the website of one of the three companies.

For the majority of owner pharmacists affiliated with other chains and brands, such as Proxim, Uniprix, Pharmaprix, Accès pharma at Walmart and Horizon Santé, they will offer tests on a first-come, first-served basis.

“To avoid disappointment or waiting due to limited availability, we encourage people to check with their pharmacy that test kits are available. Pharmacy posters will also indicate the availability of tests, ”says Mr. Mousseau.

A total of nearly 4.2 million COVID-19 tests, or more than 800,000 kits, will be distributed to pharmacies across the province by the start of the holiday season.

Every day until December 23, new rapid tests will arrive in Quebec and will be immediately distributed to all pharmacies in Quebec. All tests distributed in pharmacies will be of the BTNX type, like those offered in schools.

Can we go to more than one pharmacy to get more than one kit?

“No, it won't be possible,” says Mousseau. When the kit is delivered, a transaction will be recorded at the RAMQ associated with the patient's health insurance number. “If the patient goes to another pharmacy, an alert will notify the pharmacist that the patient has already had their kit and will invite them to come back 30 days later,” he explains.

Mr. Mousseau also invites Quebecers not to rush on the kits. "We encourage families who already have tests at home to give those who don't yet have a chance to go later in the week," he said.

He also suggests not taking a kit for each member of the family. “A family that does not yet have one could take one or two, rather than five at once,” he illustrates.

“With 800,000 kits, we won’t have enough for all Quebecers aged 14 and over, so we want as many as possible to have them,” he says.

When to use them?

The goal of rapid tests is to unclog screening clinics, says Dr. Maryse Guay, professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Sherbrooke University. "If you have symptoms or if you have been in contact with a positive case, you should take a rapid test," she said.

For those who wish to use the tests for prevention before a holiday gathering, "it is absolutely necessary to use the test the same day before our meeting", indicates Nathalie Grandvaux, researcher at the research laboratory on the response of the host to viral infections at the CHUM.

“If you go to a family meeting on the evening of December 24, for example, you should take the test in the afternoon,” says the specialist. D^re Guay reminds us that just because the test is negative does not mean that the mask and physical distance should not be respected.

Benoit Barbeau, virologist and professor in the department of biological sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal, also recommends doing a quick test before visiting a very vulnerable person.

How to use it?

First insert a rod at least half an inch (1.25 cm) inside a nostril until slight resistance is met.

Then twist the rod into the nasal opening for at least five seconds. With your fingers, compress the nostril to trap the tip of the swab. Rotate the rod again for at least five seconds. Repeat the procedure in the other nostril.

Insert the swab into a tube containing the extraction fluid, then leave for two minutes.

Place three drops of the liquid on the test strip and wait 15 minutes. If two lines appear, the test is positive. If only one line appears, the test is negative.

If the test is positive, the person will need to take a PCR test at a screening clinic to confirm their result.

What are the pros and cons of rapid tests?

The tests return results after a few minutes, are useful for quickly identifying infected people and can be easily used by anyone.

However, they can give false positive results in people who are not infected. People who test positive for a rapid antigen test should therefore have their result confirmed by a laboratory test.

Tests can also give false negative results in infected people. These false negatives are more common with rapid tests than with PCR tests, says Barbeau.

"Despite the lower sensitivity, if we are able to detect a proportion of infected people, that's what matters," he concludes.