By Liam Verster

COVID-19 testing

Hundreds have been tested for COVID-19 in Grande Prairie through pharmacy testing project

Jul 31, 2020 | 12:12 PM

The Shoppers Drug Mart at the Wapiti Centre was one of the select pharmacies involved in the province’s COVID-19 pilot project.

The project, which offers throat swab tests to asymptomatic people, has seen 10,000 Albertans participate in the past month.

In Grande Prairie, hundreds of people, mostly residents of the City, have turned up to the Shoppers to have their tests done.

Owner, Joel Motley, says it has been a clean and safe operation since they began, as they only test those without symptoms. He says, before booking a test, patients are asked a series of questions to make sure they aren’t showing any symptoms, otherwise they would have to go through Alberta Health Services. If they are cleared, then a test is scheduled.

“We have a counselling room set aside, so we sanitize it before and after every test, and then the pharmacist who administers the test is in full PPE, so mask, gloves gown, that kind of thing.”

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He adds that the tests have been well received, as there are several appointments offered each day, and less waiting time than with AHS. Motley says the staff have also been happy with doing the work, as it’s very low risk.

Motley says it’s really important to have as many people come through and get tested.

“What the government is looking for is wide testing so that they can have a good plan moving forward on how they’re going to handle the pandemic, especially since it kind of looks like a wave two is coming. So just having all this information and help form these decisions is really important for all decisions.”

The Alberta Government announced on Thursday that the program would be expanded and opened up to more pharmacies across the province. Motley says he knows that all the Shoppers locations in Grande Prairie have applied, but couldn’t speak as to the other companies’ decisions, or whether other Shoppers locations outside the city would be participating.