Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Jasper businesses are now applying to get free rapid COVID-19 tests from the province as cases rise in Alberta and the tourist season approaches.
In late April, the government began allowing businesses to start administering their own rapid tests rather than requiring that a health-care provider oversee a screening program.
鈥淭he province has really (been) pushing rapid testing,鈥� said Pattie Pavlov, executive director for the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淭hey want to get this out and so they鈥檝e partnered鈥� with the Alberta Chambers of Commerce and requested that local chambers throughout the province step in and help with the distribution of these testing kits.鈥�
Rapid testing can identify pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases so they can be isolated early to stop the spread, although people with symptoms or known exposure must use the online assessment tool to get tested through Alberta Health Services.
Rapid test kits have already been successfully piloted in long-term care, outbreaks, hospitals, homeless shelters and industry.
Pavlov said rapid testing will play an essential role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 once the summer season kicks off and more visitors come to Jasper.
鈥淵ou want to know that your staff, first of all, have a higher confidence level doing their jobs and visitors (know) that we鈥檙e keeping our people tested and following protocols here,鈥� she added.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so appreciative when people respect that we鈥檙e doing everything we can to keep not just our residents safe but keep them safe when they come to visit.鈥�
So far, the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce has received applications from 17 businesses, totaling 388 individuals who could be tested every week from May 15 to Sept. 30.
As of last week, the chamber has yet to here back about the success of these applications.
Pavlov explained that each business would have an individual who is trained to administer the test, while the chamber at Robson House would act as a distribution centre for the tests.
The Municipality of Jasper has already implemented rapid testing for volunteer firefighters and municipal staff working in front-line positions.
Kathleen Waxer, director of municipality鈥檚 community and family services, connected the chamber and Jasper Pharmasave, which is helping businesses fill out their applications and provide training for administering these tests.
Initially, local hotels had reached out to Pharmasave on their own accord for help with filling out applications.
鈥淚t sort of snowballed from there,鈥� said Laurie-Ell Bashforth, co-owner of Jasper Pharmasave.
鈥淪ome have already had their application accepted and so we鈥檙e moving on to the next step. I鈥檓 going to help administer the actual screenings.鈥�
The rapid tests are nasal swabs that go up to the bridge of the nose.
The swab would then go into a solution and later put inside a kit, which contains a piece of paper with COVID antibodies that react if the virus is present.
The entire process takes about 15 minutes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not as overwhelming or scary as everyone may think; it鈥檚 actual a really easy test to administer,鈥� Bashforth said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 another tool we have to prevent COVID, especially this peak season that we鈥檙e entering into in Jasper, and I think that it鈥檚 a very valid tool and the more people and the more businesses that are using it, the safer we can be.鈥�
More information on the rapid testing program can be found at
