B.C. COVID-19 testing reaches capacity, PCRs prioritized for those most at risk

Unvaccinated individuals who are symptomatic are told to stay home for at least 10 days, according to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, whose plea comes amid a rapid spike in case numbers across the province.

In an update Friday, Henry said COVID-19 testing across the province had reached capacity. She says PCRs are being prioritized for those who are most at risk — people 65 years and older, as well as those with underlying medical conditions — and that many people would likely be handed a rapid test to take home if they head to a facility.

“Our testing centres are at their maximum capacity. We did over 20,000 PCR tests yesterday, and that’s the maximum that we can do,” Henry explained.

NEW: The major takeaway from this BC COVID newser — testing has reached capacity. Fully vaccinated people with mild symptoms are being told not to get tested — simply isolate at home for seven days. Unvaccinated people should stay home for 10 days. #bcpoli #COVID19

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 24, 2021

“I want to be very clear: Do not go to a testing centre unless you have symptoms. And then we need to preserve the more accurate PCR testing for those who really need it.”

Henry is reminding people who need tests for travel that public testing centres are not for this purpose, and that people need to go through the proper channels.

Rapid testing is being used for people with symptoms. Henry says they will be targeted to people who are younger with milder symptoms, without risk factors for severe disease.

Her plea comes amid a week that has seen long lineups at testing facilities across the province and a rapid spike in case numbers.

“If you are at all sick right now, even if you think it isn’t COVID, even if you think it’s just a mild cold or a flu, you need to take precautions and stay away from others, particularly people who may be at risk because their immune systems aren’t working so well, because they have not been vaccinated, or because they’re older or younger,” said Henry.

Dr. Henry urging people who are symptomatic not to gather with others during the holidays…if you are seriously unwell, seek help immediately. 9-1-1 for emergenices, 8-1-1 if you need further information or advice. #bcpoli #COVID19

— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) December 24, 2021

“The speed of transmission at this point also means that our case and contact tracing cannot keep up. We can keep up with people who have a test … but we cannot find contacts, and people know this, within two to three days. It often takes a little bit longer.”

Vancouver Coastal Health is among the authorities that is using rapid testing to address increased demand in recent days. It confirms in an email to CityNews “most people attending VCH test sites right now will be offered testing with a rapid antigen test.”

It notes that “PCR testing will continue for some clients, prioritizing people at greater risk of severe disease from COVID-19, as per expert advice.”

CityNews has heard from some people who were turned away from testing sites, being given a take-home rapid test instead despite being symptomatic.

On Thursday, West Vancouver man Jay Spicer said in an interview with CityNews he was told the site in North Vancouver was at capacity, and PCR tests for the rest of the day would only be provided to people 65 years old and up. He was there to get his son, who was showing symptoms of COVID-19, tested, and waited more than two hours before they were handed a rapid test.

In an email, VCH says it “continues to record a significant uptick in demand for COVID-19 testing services at several sites.”

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“This reflects a number of factors including circulation of the more transmissible Omicron variant and the transmission of other respiratory viruses that cause similar, mild symptoms,” the health authority continued.

VCH notes that between Dec. 6 to 12 and Dec. 13 to 19, testing sites in this region saw a 69 per cent jump in demand for testing.

The move to deploy rapid antigen tests to some people at these facilities came in a week during which B.C. broke records for daily case counts three different times.

The health authority says the deployment of such tests “is in line with the strategy” that was announced by Henry on Tuesday.

People are being assured that rapid antigen tests used in this province are all scientifically validated and are safe.

Anyone who tests positive through a rapid test is provided with instructions for completing the assessment, including how to report their positive test to the health authority. They are also given instructions around self-isolating, managing symptoms, and notifying any potential contacts, VCH explains.

Omicron transmission

While we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant, Henry notes there are still many unknowns.

Recent studies have indicated the variant results in more mild illness. However, Henry cautions it’s still unclear if that lines up with B.C.’s context.

“What we are seeing across this country and across the globe is that Omicron is different. It is spreading in a way that is very different from previous variants, and in a sense, we’re in a different game, a different pandemic now,” she explained on Friday.

“Some parts of it we know more about, we’re putting that puzzle together globally. We know more about the infectiousness of Omicron right now and it is more highly infectious than any of the other strains of this virus that we’ve seen. We know more about breakthrough infections and about reinfections, and there’s data that’s showing up from around the world that tells us that we can get more breakthrough infections in people who have been fully vaccinated, but they tend to be less severe. Those are things we’re still watching.”

Henry notes people who have had previous infections are less likely to be reinfected with Omicron.

She says what we’ve been seeing is that Omicron is “more likely to attach to the upper airways,” meaning it can spread with very small amounts of the virus.

“It replicates quickly and it means that those smaller particles or aerosols are much more important, and it can spread more easily,” she said.

Henry goes on to say people are getting infected with smaller amounts of the virus and more quickly, passing it on to others. The incubation period is very small, she adds, noting with Omicron, it’s about two to three days, down from five to seven on average.

The province continues to urge people to get vaccinated, with Henry pointing out that spread is happening quickly in people who have not yet gotten their shots.

Communication still a concern for some

“Every province has been confronted with this, but I think B.C. has taken quite a while to start communicating about this variant at all,” explained Heidi Tworek, an associate professor of history and public policy at UBC.

“It was only a couple of weeks ago that Adrian Dix was saying to us focus on Delta rather than Omicron, and that I think created anxiety for a lot of people living in B.C. because many people were looking to other countries seeing that this variant already existed and they were wondering what is B.C.’s plan,” she added.

“It’s a little bit distressing to see a lack of learning curve from previous waves during the pandemic. So learning that actually communicating early, clearly, and often on as many channels as possible is actually a crucial part of dealing with each wave of the pandemic.”

When it comes to boosters, while other provinces have opened additional shots up to everyone 18 and and older, B.C. has taken an age- and risk-based roll out.

Dr. Kelly McNagny, professor of medical genetics and biomedical engineering at UBC, says those who have two vaccines are still less likely to go to hospital with COVID-19. However, while he understands the province’s approach, he believes boosters need to be rolled out quicker.

“I think it’s really important for everybody to start getting boosted now, and, this is me speaking personally, I think the province should be opening it up to everybody and I hope we have the capacity to give everybody a third dose,” he told CityNews.

“The original vaccines look like they’re about forty-fold less effective against Omicron. However, if you get a third boost, you can bring that close to two-fold less effective. That’s great, that’s enough to protect you. And so what we should be encouraging people to do is get a third boost, I think, as soon as possible.”

Previously, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada has secured enough boosters for adults across Canada. He has also said the country has enough vaccines for kids over the age of five to get their first shot.

We’re not out of the woods yet. But we’ve got your back, and we can get through this. We’ve secured enough boosters for adults across Canada, we’ve got enough vaccines for kids over 5 to get their first shot, and we’re sending more rapid tests to the provinces and territories.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 20, 2021

On Tuesday, B.C. announced new restrictions that would last through the holidays, into January. They include the closure of businesses like bars, nightclubs, gyms, and fitness centres. The new order, which took effect on Wednesday at 11:59 p.m., also limit indoor events to 50 per cent capacity. The order also restricts tables at eateries to a maximum of six people.

-With files from Kier Junos and Nikitha Martins