QUEEN'S PARK — In a change in government policy, Ontario is prepared to allow pharmacies to provide PCR swab tests for people showing symptoms of COVID-19, or who are high-risk contacts of people who have the virus.
The revelation came Tuesday in multiple media reports out of Queen's Park which cited a government source and an internal memo to the staff of a drug store chain.
Although there's been no formal announcement, Premier Doug Ford was asked about the reports at an unrelated news conference, and said he's confident the necessary safety precautions will be in place in drugstores to protect other customers.
He said the change is due to high vaccination rates in Ontario, adherence to masking, and other COVID-19 protocols.
"We have learned so much over the last 20 months, so we are going to be very cautious. I have confidence [pharmacies] will do a fine job," Ford commented.
The province currently only permits pharmacies to conduct COVID-19 tests on people with no symptoms, who have not been in contact with someone with COVID-19, or are not subjects of an outbreak investigation.
The tests are mostly meant for targeted groups including residents, workers and visitors at long-term care homes, Indigenous people, and individuals needing medical services out of the country.
