Kitchener lab ordered to stop selling PCR tests to long-term care homes
A Kitchener lab that processes COVID-19 tests was ordered to stop selling them to long-term care and retirement homes by the Ministry of Labour.
Epitome processes PCR tests and started privately selling the tests to homes in December 2021.
The CEO of the company, James Yantzi said he was selling them to 35 homes in the GTA and Waterloo Region. Last Friday, he said he was ordered by the Ministry of Health to stop that part of his operation.
“Because the nursing homes are covered by the province,” said Yantzi.
He said his goal was to help with the province's testing network, recently swamped and backlogged since the Omicron variant.
“During the backlog it was more severe somewhere between five to 10 days for the results back. And I understand now it’s between two to four days,” said Yantzi.
Yantzi said the turnaround time at Epitome for PCR tests at long-term care homes and nursing homes was about 12 to 48 hours.
According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Health, concerns were raised about Epitome’s private testing.
The spokesperson said Epitome’s testing was outside the scope of their lab licence to perform.
“Private PCR testing results are not uploaded into the provincial laboratory information system, and are not entered into the public health case and contact management information system, which means that they cannot be effectively used to inform public health response and support outbreak management in these settings,” said W.D. Lighthall, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Health.
The statement also said the Ministry of Long-Term Care visited with some LTC homes in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and clarified for them that laboratories providing publicly funded COVID-19 PCR testing must meet licensing requirements, including the ability to upload results to the provincial lab information system, in order to provide publicly funded COVID-19 PCR testing.
“It it’s just a bit frustrating for us to want to contribute to the local community and not be able to participate in the efforts,” said Yantzi. “The province set up a network of 70 labs and they have 10 to 15 in Toronto and Ottawa and Hamilton and London because you Kitchener-Waterloo doesn’t have an additional lab.”
The province confirmed that Epitome has not submitted a request to the ministry to change their licence to provide publicly funded tests.
Yantzi said he plans to look into doing so in the near future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Woman, 18, killed by co-worker's vehicle on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw police say an 18-year-old woman who was at work has died from injuries she sustained in a collision with a vehicle being driven by her co-worker last Thursday.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
MPs to vote on NDP motion calling on Canada to recognize Palestinian statehood
Members of Parliament will vote Monday on a motion from the federal New Democrats, calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine,' among a range of other calls to action in regards to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.