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Ontarians will be able to pick up free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests at grocery stores and pharmacies for a little longer.
The province has extended the end date for a program that allows people to pick up free test kits at grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and more.
It will now end on July 31, 2022, Minister of Health Christine Elliott announced on Twitter on March 30.
As an important tool that helps the province manage and live with #COVID19, Ontario will continue to provide free rapid antigen tests to the general public through existing channels.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 30, 2022
This includes grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and more until at least July 31, 2022.
Free tests have been offered at grocery stores and pharmacies since early February after the province changed the guidelines for who can access the gold-standard PCR tests. The original rollout had the initiative lasting for at least eight weeks.
At the time, limiting the PCR testing was due to the system being overwhelmed with the Omicron wave of the pandemic, however, broad access to testing has not been reinstated. Experts are now saying the province is in a new sixth wave of the pandemic.
March 21, when most public school students were returning from March break, the province lifted most of its mask mandates, including in schools. Students are also no longer required to stick to cohorts (the same grouping of students) in school. For businesses, passive screening and safety plans are no longer required.
All of the remaining masking requirements and directives are expected to lift April 27 when the final extension of the Reopening Ontario Act expires.
In Orillia, free rapid antigen tests are available at:
- City Med Pharmacy, 43 Colborne St. W.
- Costco Pharmacy, 625 University Ave.
- Fittons Pharmacy, 425 West St. N., Unit 20
- Food Basics, 975 West Ridge Blvd.
- Laclie Pharmacy, 400 Laclie St.
- Memorial Pharmasave, 200 Memorial Ave., Unit 1
- Metro, 70 Front St. N.
- Rexall Pharma Plus, 58 Mississaga St. E.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 55 Front St. N. and 149 Westmount Dr. N.
- Walmart, 175 Murphy Rd.
- Zehrs, 289 Coldwater Rd. W.
The full list of sites is available here.
