TO:All Businesses in Grey and Bruce Counties

FROM:Dr. Ian Arra, Medical Officer of Health & Chief Executive Officer

Grey Bruce Health Unit does not endorse COVID-19 testing using the Self Rapid Antigen Screening Kit.

Our recommendations for testing remain unchanged and consistent with the science and best practice. Grey Bruce Health Unit encourages testing in the following specific circumstances:

•Individuals who have symptoms compatible with COVID-19

•Those instructed directly by public health to go for testing based on exposure history or as part of an outbreak investigation

Results from surveillance testing, especially when self-performed, are unreliable and can provide both false positive or false negative results.There are many harms associated with false test results. Notably, false positive results put individuals at risk of more testing than required, and may cause unnecessary anxiety and isolation of the individual and contacts and potential loss of income.

False negative results provide erroneous reassurance causing people to unknowingly transmit the virus to others.Public Health may miss positive cases who do not go to a local assessment centre for the confirmatory test and instead choose to just stay home for 10 days.

If the employer does not report the case and the employee does not go for a confirmatory test then this poses a gap and could lead to more transmission and outbreaks. No guidance, education and assessment will be conducted with these individuals if public health is not aware of these preliminary positive cases.

Grey Bruce Health Unit continues to be available to answer any questions regarding our testing recommendations or about asymptomatic surveillance testing.