Times-Chronicle Staff
School-aged children in B.C. now have their own COVID-19 test – one of the first of its kind worldwide, according to the province.
A new made-in-B.C. sample collection program has been launched for all K-12 students. A mouth-rinse gargle is now available at COVID-19 collection centres around the province. Unlike the nasal swab method, this new saline method doesn’t require a health-care professional to collect the sample. Nasal swabs will continue to be used for adult COVID-19 testing.
Both Minister of Health Adrian Dix and Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have said there will likely be COVID-19 cases in schools this fall and winter. Schools will continue to issue alerts when a COVID-19 exposure has occurred and action is required.
According to a Ministry of Education survey, more than 85 per cent of K-12 students returned for in-class learning during the first week back at school.
Yesterday there were 165 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., bringing the total in the province to 7,663. Four additional cases were reported in the Interior Health region, bringing the total to 489. Twenty three cases are active and in isolation. One person is in hospital.
