How to administer a COVID-19 rapid test: new recommendation

New guidance has been provided by the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table on a “better approach” when doing a rapid antigen test on yourself or your child. It suggested to combine oral and nasal swabs for each test.

This guidance was released earlier this week as the province announced Wednesday that 5.5 million tests will be available each week across Ontario at select grocery stores and pharmacy locations.

During the Region of Waterloo's COVID-19 update Friday morning, the region's medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang recommended "for people to take throat as well as nasal samples to improve sensitivity of a rapid test result."

The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table issued a video illustrating how to administer each test.

In the video a woman's voice says "although there is no direct evidence, recent studies suggest that combining nasal and oral samples is a better approach for Omicron."

The video provides this list of steps:

The province has said rapid tests are recommended for those who are symptomatic, and for test-to-work purposes.

Officials stressed using rapid tests as screening before a gathering is not recommended. But if a rapid test is used in this way, it should be done within a few hours prior to the event.

Officials have also warned a negative result from a COVID-19 rapid test could be a false negative.