Shoppers Drug Mart offering rapid COVID-19 screening options
Shoppers Drug Mart is looking to help residents in Canada’s Manitoba region safely return to work.
The retailer announced that it has begun to offer COVID-19 antigen screening options for employers in the area, with results available between 15 to 20 minutes.
“Getting through this pandemic will require a three-pronged strategy — following public health guidelines and recommendations, increased and frequent COVID-19 testing and screening, and vaccinations,” said Ashesh Desai, executive vice president of pharmacy and health care at Shoppers Drug Mart. “Providing convenient, accessible and affordable testing options for employers will become increasingly important as we look to reopen the economy while keeping employees and Canadians safe.”
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Through this antigen screening test, an active COVID-19 infection can be detected via the presence of antigens or specific protein on a virus’s surface, the company said.
Currently, Shoppers Drug Mart will have two programs available for businesses in Manitoba, depending on the employer’s size, need and location.
In addition, through a partnership with the government of Canada, organizations that fall in the small and medium range can pick up antigen screening tests at any of the retailer’s locations in the province.
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To easily manage registrations, an online portal is available to interested parties where orders can be placed and tracked as well.
Rapid screening tests for this initiative are being provided free of charge by the government for qualifying businesses while stores will charge a small handling fee for each box of 25 tests, the retailer said.