Youth now need vax or test to enter indoor rec facilities

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This article was published 06/12/2021 (1600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Youth entering arenas, gyms and other private indoor sports and recreation facilities will have to show proof they received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or a negative rapid antigen test as of Monday.

Provincial public health orders requiring youth ages 12 to 17 to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or regular rapid antigen tests, to enter indoor sports and recreation facilities, including dance and martial arts studios, came into force at midnight.

Youth who cannot show proof of vaccination can get a rapid antigen test, at their own expense, at a local pharmacy. Rapid test results are returned in about 15 minutes and are valid for 72 hours.

Pharmacists Manitoba vice-president Mark Mercure said so far he hasn’t had many inquiries at his Brandon area pharmacy for rapid tests for youth sports, but he expects that to pick up.

“We’re all in the same boat where information is changing fast and everyone is adapting,” he said. “It’s a fairly new thing that’s been implemented.”

Mercure said there is widespread availability of rapid tests at pharmacies across the province, but it’s recommended to check in advance to ensure tests are offered.

Pharmacies are responsible for procuring tests on their own and the price for tests may vary, he said. Many locations have already purchased tests for people who require them for travel.

“The challenge will be anticipating demand,” he said. “We don’t know how many people will be coming in for youth sports or other reasons. Travel wasn’t a huge driver of demand, so the pharmacies are having to prepare inventories and work flows against an unknown quantity of people coming in.”

Pharmacists will provide youth with documentation that includes the date and time of the test, the result, information about the pharmacy, and a signature from the test provider, Mercure said.

Pharmacists Manitoba has issued a standardized document to its members for use when providing test results to the public as there is no provincial standard for rapid tests at this time.

The same documentation has also been provided to travellers who require proof of a negative rapid antigen test to cross international borders, he said.

Mercure said pharmacists will also keep records of the tests they administer and can verify documentation if coaches and facility managers have any concerns over the validity.

According to the public health order, vaccination or testing for people ages 12 to 17 is required also at gymnasiums and other indoor sporting facilities at public and independent schools when used for sports activities that are not part of the school curriculum.