Federal agencies are warehousing millions of rapid COVID test kits only weeks after Parliament voted to spend billions more with suppliers. Total spending on rapid tests is more than $4 billion to date, including millions of kits the government could not give away..“I am not personally involved in the exact amounts being provided to provinces and territories,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, told reporters on Friday..According to Blacklock's Reporter, Tam said at this stage of the pandemic, "some of the roles and responsibilities are reverting back to the provincial jurisdictions.”.“The Public Health Agency of Canada is stopping the distribution of rapid tests to provinces and territories — why?” asked a reporter. “Well I think rapid tests do play a role, but of course primary prevention is the best,” replied Tam..Rapid tests were “not the only means” to monitor the pandemic, said Tam. “I think rapid tests can potentially change people’s behaviour if they get a positive test, although as we all know a negative test doesn’t mean you do not have it,” she added..Parliament on March 4 passed Bill C-10, allowing for an additional $2.5 billion in spending on test kits. “This funding is critical to enable the Government of Canada to respond to significant demands,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos wrote in a report to Parliament..However, data show the health department couldn’t give away the kits it had already had. The department had warehoused a total of 17,698,170 of 118 million kits purchased to date, said a report..“As we transition away from the crisis phase of COVID-19 it is important that we continue to work collectively to ensure the well-being of Canadians and support the ongoing reopening of the economy,” said Duclos..Duclos’ assistant deputy, in May 17 testimony at the Senate national finance committee, acknowledged the Bill C-10 money was not immediately needed..“We haven’t spent a lot of that money yet,” testified Cameron MacDonald, assistant deputy health minister. “We are just actually in the midst of loading up to be able to get more rapid tests out to the provinces from now through the fall.”.The health department, in a submission to the Senate committee, disclosed that government-wide billions were spent on rapid tests to date — a total $4,007,401,390. .More than 603 million tests kits were purchased, only 472 million had been distributed, and a total 95 million were stockpiled.
Federal agencies are warehousing millions of rapid COVID test kits only weeks after Parliament voted to spend billions more with suppliers. Total spending on rapid tests is more than $4 billion to date, including millions of kits the government could not give away..“I am not personally involved in the exact amounts being provided to provinces and territories,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, told reporters on Friday..According to Blacklock's Reporter, Tam said at this stage of the pandemic, "some of the roles and responsibilities are reverting back to the provincial jurisdictions.”.“The Public Health Agency of Canada is stopping the distribution of rapid tests to provinces and territories — why?” asked a reporter. “Well I think rapid tests do play a role, but of course primary prevention is the best,” replied Tam..Rapid tests were “not the only means” to monitor the pandemic, said Tam. “I think rapid tests can potentially change people’s behaviour if they get a positive test, although as we all know a negative test doesn’t mean you do not have it,” she added..Parliament on March 4 passed Bill C-10, allowing for an additional $2.5 billion in spending on test kits. “This funding is critical to enable the Government of Canada to respond to significant demands,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos wrote in a report to Parliament..However, data show the health department couldn’t give away the kits it had already had. The department had warehoused a total of 17,698,170 of 118 million kits purchased to date, said a report..“As we transition away from the crisis phase of COVID-19 it is important that we continue to work collectively to ensure the well-being of Canadians and support the ongoing reopening of the economy,” said Duclos..Duclos’ assistant deputy, in May 17 testimony at the Senate national finance committee, acknowledged the Bill C-10 money was not immediately needed..“We haven’t spent a lot of that money yet,” testified Cameron MacDonald, assistant deputy health minister. “We are just actually in the midst of loading up to be able to get more rapid tests out to the provinces from now through the fall.”.The health department, in a submission to the Senate committee, disclosed that government-wide billions were spent on rapid tests to date — a total $4,007,401,390. .More than 603 million tests kits were purchased, only 472 million had been distributed, and a total 95 million were stockpiled.
