Thought of the Day - January 7 2022 - Rapid Tests

There are more and more articles appearing that are critical of BC for not releasing to the public the 1.3 million Rapid Test kits that were sent here by Ottawa some time back.

I actually think BC is doing the right thing.

As we have talked about a couple of times over the last six months, given the effort and cost I am not sure what mass testing is really doing for us ( Thought of the Day - September 8 2021 - Does Mass Testing Still Matter? ) in the first place. Modelling estimates say we are currently detecting only about 1/4 of infections here in BC. In short, the more you test the more you will find - probably easier just to assume for now that all people you encounter have it.

From what I have read concerning the use by the public of Rapid Test kits:

1. They are largely used as a way to rationalize holding non-essential gatherings by suggesting doing some testing somehow makes them "safe".

2. For the most part, positive results still need to be confirmed by a PCR test and so they just add an extra burden to our already overloaded test facilities - you know the ones that are supposed to be reserved for the symptomatic.

3. Availability of Rapid Tests promotes obsessive behaviour such as kit hoarding or excessive use.

4. I am not sure any Canadian province has a method of capturing self-administered Rapid Test results in the first place and so they do not contribute to our collective understanding of COVID.

I guess the key question to ask is: What problem are we trying to solve with these $25-a-pop test kits? Yes, a rapid diagnostic tool is useful for repeat assessment of high-risk people or essential workers in high-exposure settings, but it is my understanding that this is how they are already being used. Other than that, issuing these test kits could just make things worse.

Cheers

Cliff