Drop in COVID-19 tests prompts reminder from public health to get swabbed if sick

A drop in COVID-19 test numbers in Waterloo region has prompted the medical officer of health to remind people to get swabbed if they have symptoms of the virus.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang told regional council on Wednesday that the drop in testing is likely due to students now learning from home, which means fewer students are being told to get a test due to possible exposure. The other reason is that people living in long-term care and retirement homes no longer need to be tested as often as earlier in the pandemic because outbreaks are less frequent.

"There's also less testing in our region amongst seniors now," Wang said. "We have immunization coverage now of 90 per cent of our 80-plus population and 80 per cent of our 70-plus population."

Wang said case rates in the province, however, have remained high, particularly in Toronto where there has been "very high rates and sustained rates."

But given increase caseloadselsewhere in the province, Wang said she wanted to take the opportunity to remind people "who should be getting the test, to get a test."

Lee Fairclough, president of St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener and the hospital lead for the Waterloo Region Health Sector Control Group, said the region needs the results to continue to curb the spread of the virus.

"To really understand COVID-19 in our community, testing and contact tracing must continue as it needs to," Fairclough said in a release from the region.

The region says assessment and testing centres in Waterloo region have capacity to test all eligible individuals. An appointment can be booked through the region's website.