The Government of Canada is protecting the health and safety of all Canadians, while moving toward a safe and sustainable economic recovery. This includes taking steps so Canadians can quickly and easily access COVID-19 testing.
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, today announced that the Government of Canada has signed an agreement with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) to purchase7.6 million rapid, point-of-care, SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests for use on the BD Veritor™ Plus System and up to 2,172 analyzers.
The Public Health Agency of Canada will deploy these tests to provinces and territories to support them in ramping up COVID-19 testing.
COVID-19 testing technologies are advancing as the pandemic continues. On behalf of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada continues to pursue additional agreements to secure access to the most promising rapid tests.
Quotes
"The Government of Canada continues to work diligently to provide Canadians with access to effective and efficient COVD-19 testing solutions. This new agreement with BD is critical to assisting the provinces and territories in their respective efforts to reduce the spread of the virus. We will continue to support Canadians through the COVID-19 pandemic."
The Honourable Anita Anand
Minister of Public Services and Procurement
"With the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, testing continues to be an important public health measure to help us flatten the curve and reduce the spread of the virus. These additional test kits and analyzers will help increase our testing and screening capacity across the country, including in rural and remote communities"
The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health
Quick facts
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Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada are working together to purchase and deploy COVID-19 rapid tests.
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The BD Veritor™ System for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 is the second antigen rapid test purchased by the Government of Canada, following the Abbott Panbio COVID-19 Antigen.
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Antigen testing is one of several emerging technologies that can be used to determine if a person is infected with the COVID-19 virus. The test works by detecting specific proteins associated with the virus.
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To date, the Government of Canada has signed agreements with the following companies for COVID-19 rapid tests:
- BD will supply 7.6 million BD Veritor™ System for Rapid Detection SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests.
- Abbott Rapid Diagnostics ULC will supply up to 7.9 million ID NOW rapid tests and up to 20.5 million Panbio COVID-19 Antigen rapid tests.
- Biomérieux Canada will supply up to 699,750 RP2.1 Diagnostic test kits.
- Inter Medico will supply up to 1.2 million GeneXpert rapid tests.
