Province lowering age requirement for free rapid tests

The province is lowering the age requirement for accessing free rapid antigen COVID-19 test from pharmacies.

Starting Monday, March 7, British Columbians age 60 and over will be able to visit their local pharmacies and pick up a kit containing five rapid tests.

The tests are available free of charge, though the individual must present their personal health number in order to get the kits. People can pick up kits on behalf of someone aged 60 and over, though they must provide that individual’s health number, name and date of birth..

Each person will be able to get one kit every 28 days.

The tests are intended to be used when symptoms of COVID-19 are present.

As of March 3, 3.9-million tests have been shipped to pharmacy distributors, and more than 1.8-million of those have been sent to over 1,000 community pharmacies across B.C. A list of the sites offering the test kits can be seen here.

The test kits will be made available to younger British Columbians at a later date.