Rapid testing for COVID-19 on rise at Canadian workplaces, group says

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Many companies are turning to rapid testing for COVID-19 as more and more employees return to the office.

With vaccination rates rising and daily case counts falling across Canada, many people are trading in their home offices and getting back to some semblance of normal.

But is it safe? That’s where Creative Destruction Lab‘s rapid screening consortium comes in.

Those behind the not-for-profit initiative say they are seeing more and more interest coming from businesses around the country.

The reason is obvious: rapid testing could help limit outbreaks and possibly prevent future lockdowns.

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Whether you’re an employer or an employee, rapid testing can offer some peace of mind.

In Nova Scotia, the uptake has been strong, with more than 275 workplaces signed up and hundreds more reportedly interested.

CDL says employers elsewhere in Canada are also looking at jumping onboard.

And while rapid testing may help, the group is still urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, noting that is still the best way to prevent outbreaks.

To date, more than 75 per cent of eligible Canadians have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Meanwhile, more than 20 per cent have been vaccinated fully.