Siksika Nation members are eligible to receive free COVID-19 rapid testing kits for at-home use.

 

What is a Home COVID-19 Rapid Test?

Rapid tests can detect the COVID virus in people who might not know they’re infected with COVID-19. Increasing at-home rapid testing will help identify infections early to stop spread.

 

Supply & Distribution:

To ensure sufficient supply of home COVID rapid tests for Siksika Nation members, there is a limit per household at this time: 1 kit for smaller households, and 2 kits for larger households.

Testing kits can be picked up at the CRU drive-thru on December 23 and 24 from 2:30pm-5:00pm, and on December 25 and 26 from 10:00am-2:00pm.

 

How to Use:

Each testing kit contains 5 individual COVID-19 rapid tests, these tests are to be used when you have chosen to use one, or you have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms. If at any point you develop symptoms, isolate and arrange for testing via Siksika’s COVID-19 Response Unit (CRU).

Rapid tests can be:

  • Self-administered by people ages 14 years or older
  • For children aged 2-13, an adult should do the test for the child

If your home rapid test comes back POSITIVE: isolate immediately and call the CDC Team for guidance/follow-up support, and arrange a PCR test via the COVID-19 Response Unit (CRU):

  • Testing is available by drive-thru between 10:00am-1:00pm daily, or by calling the COVID-19 Response Unit (CRU) dispatch at 403-734-5688, 7 days per week.

 

If your home rapid test comes back NEGATIVE: this does not guarantee that you are COVID-19 negative, and it remains important to follow COVID-19 public health measures.

 

If your home rapid test is INCONCLUSIVE (does not match negative or positive): the test may not have worked. Retest until you receive either a negative or positive result. It is important to follow the directions closely to avoid an invalid test.

 

Rapid tests are not a replacement for public health measures; it remains important to continue wearing a mask when indoors, keep 2 metres distance from people not in your household/cohort, regularly wash/sanitize your hands, and clean/disinfect commonly touched surfaces often.

 

Can I use these tests to enter a business for the Restrictions Exemption Program?

No. Unvaccinated individuals who wish to enter an organization participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program must pay to obtain a negative COVID-19 test through a private vendor.

 

Visit https://www.alberta.ca/rapid-testing-at-home.aspx for more information.