Ontario considers changing COVID-19 testing guidelines
The province is not only making an announcement about schools this week.
On Tuesday, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, postponed his scheduled news conference to review a new quarantine policy released by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
South of the border, the CDC is cutting its quarantine policy down to five days for those who test positive for COVID-19.
The change to the policy comes after new research shows the virus primarily spreads within its early stages.
Doctor Sohail Gandhi, a former president of the Ontario Medical Assocaiton (OMA) says the evolving research is showing that the first five days are crucial to avoid the spread of the virus. After, if no symptoms are present, the person should wear a mask in public for an additional handful of days.
"I think it means a little bit, just a little tiny bit of freedom for people with COVID," says Dr. Gandhi.
This comes as thousands of people are testing positive daily in Ontario.
COVID-19 testing centres have seen lineups and appointments for PCR tests filling up quickly. At Barrie's Sperling Drive clinic, appointments for COVID-19 tests aren't available until the week of Jan. 5.
Data released by Public Health Ontario today suggests the daily positivity rate has been above 20 per cent due to unknown rapid antigen test results.
Kraig Krause
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