Photo 219934685 © Lucian Gonţilă | Dreamstime.com
COVID-19

Northern Health updates COVID-19 testing guidelines

Jan 20, 2022 | 5:09 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The COVID-19 testing strategy is changing in Northern Health to align with BC Centre for Disease Control guidelines.

According to the Northern Health Authority, you will not be able to receive a COVID-19 test unless you are in a higher-risk category, work in a high-risk setting, or are a healthcare worker.

Those in a high-risk category include those who are moderate to severely immunocompromised, those who have had a solid-organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive therapy, and others undergoing medical treatment.

Unvaccinated individuals including those with only one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine fall into the high-risk category.

All Indigenous people are also considered to be in this group eligible for COVID-19 testing.

Those who work or live in high-risk environments include healthcare workers, first responders, and those who live in rural and remote Indigenous communities.

Those fully vaccinated with only mild symptoms are expected to self-isolate upon the onset of symptoms and currently do not fit under the groups eligible for testing unless in a high-risk group, or high-risk setting.

The full BC CDC guidelines can be found here.