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By Curtis Galbraith
Hythe

Sandstone Pharmacies to offer asymptomatic COVID-19 testing

Feb 10, 2021 | 6:00 AM

Sandstone Pharmacies will soon be offering asymptomatic COVID-19 tests to anyone wanting one.

The tests should be available next week.

Sandstone vice-president Marco Casagrande says the demand for these tests is still there even after the province stopped doing such testing last fall.

“Largely for people who are required to travel maybe for work or urgent family matters, so there was still a demand coming at some of those stores and so we felt it was important to partner with CardiAI out of Calgary, who has the lab services and has created a PCR COVID test, to be able to satisfy people who need private testing>”

Sandstone’s lone store in the Peace Country is the Guardian Pharmacy in Hythe.

Casagrande adds this would be a saliva test, rather than a swab of the nose or throat.

“The testing has now advanced to the point where a saliva test is able to be done. Essentially, the patient would self-administer the test by depositing a certain amount of saliva into a tube. That tube is then sent off to the lab in Calgary. The lab then processes it and then communicates back to the patient a positive or a negative result.”

Casagrande says the lab has an obligation to contact Alberta Health Services if it finds any positives.

Pharmacists would also follow up with patients to see if they have any questions or ask if there is any follow up needed with their family doctor. Contract tracing would also be done.

Casagrande adds the cost of the test is $149 plus GST.

“With it then comes the documentation that you need, so, yes, anybody who is interested in getting a test (can get one). The only condition is that they have to be asymptomatic.”

Casagrande says anyone with symptoms has to go through the testing done by AHS.

by Curtis Galbraith