B.C. government to distribute 250K rapid antigen tests to child-care providers
The British Columbia government says it will distribute up to 250,000 rapid COVID-19 antigen tests to provincially funded child-care providers.
The province did not provide a timeline for the delivery of the tests on Wednesday, but said details will be relayed directly to child-care providers "in the coming days as logistics are confirmed."
The take-home tests are intended for use by child-care workers with COVID-19 symptoms, the Ministry of Children and Family Development said in a statement.
"The Ministry of Health and the Office of the Provincial Health Officer continue to direct how rapid antigen tests are best used as part of the provincial pandemic response, including if additional tests will be deployed for use in child-care settings," the province said.
The ministry has scheduled a virtual information session on the rapid tests and other COVID-19-related child-care issues Wednesday night.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will be joined by deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson and other officials for the session from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The province says the webinar will include a question-and-answer segment based on questions that have been sent ahead of time by child-care providers and parents. Attendees will also be able to submit their own questions during the session.
The meeting will be recorded and posted to the B.C. government's YouTube page following the seminar, the ministry said.
Those who wish to attend the online seminar can do so via Zoom (passcode 959521) or by telephone at 1-778-907-2071.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Canada banning Chinese telecom giant Huawei, ZTE from 5G networks
Canada is banning China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE, another Chinese company, from participating in the country's 5G wireless networks, citing national security and cybersecurity concerns. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino made the announcement about prohibiting products and services from these 'high-risk vendors,' in Ottawa on Thursday.

BREAKING | Jury rules N.B. police shooting death of Chantel Moore was a homicide
The five jurors at the inquest into the death of Chantel Moore have ruled that the Indigenous woman's death was a homicide.
Monkeypox: What is it and how does it spread?
A growing number of countries, including Canada, the U.S., Spain, Portugal, and the U.K, are reporting an unusual outbreak of monkeypox. Here is what we know about this rare virus.
911 dispatcher who took Buffalo shooting call put on leave
A 911 dispatcher has been placed on leave and may lose her job after allegedly hanging up on an supermarket employee hiding during this weekend's shooting rampage in Buffalo, New York.
Canada inflation: How we compare to other G7 nations
With a meeting of G7 finance ministers underway this week, a CTVNews.ca analysis found that while Canadians are feeling the pain of record-high inflation, among G7 nations we are surpassed by Germany, the U.S., and the U.K.
Service Canada increases staffing at passport counters, but long waits persist
With lengthy delays for Canadians seeking to get a new or renewed passport, Service Canada says it’s upped staffing at passport service counters to expedite processing ahead of the summer travel season. Yet, travellers say they’re still facing long wait times.
Jason Kenney has quit as UCP leader. What happens to the party and government now?
With Jason Kenney having stepped down as leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party, who is now leader of the province?
Conservatives want Canada to revert to pre-pandemic travel rules
The Conservative Party is doubling down on its call for the federal government to do away with travel restrictions and revert back to 'pre-pandemic rules' in light of recent airport delays.
OPINION | Don Martin: Premier Jason Kenney deserved a better death
There's a lesson for Canada's political leaders in the short life and quick death of Jason Kenney as premier of Alberta, writes Don Martin in an exclusive opinion column for CTVNews.ca.