The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Oakville have joined forces to provide free self-screening kits to small and medium-sized businesses that employ up to 150 employees within the Town of Oakville.
The program’s goal is to identify asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, at home, and throughout the community.
“It has been a difficult and uncertain year for our business community. The free distribution of rapid screening tests will provide much-needed support to assist in the safe reopening of our local economy” says Oakville Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Drew Redden.
SMEs can visit www.oakvillechamber.com/rapidscreening/, and order a two-week supply of Abbott Panbio Antigen screening kits.
Employers are required to appoint a representative who will be responsible for supervising the self-screening process. Appointed supervisors are required to attend the initial pick-up in order to receive video training on testing supervision and safe disposal guidelines. The kits will be available for pick-up, by appointment only, at the former post office located at 193 Church St. in Oakville. The site will open May 11th and operate weekly Tuesday through Thursday, from 10am to 3pm.
SME’s are required to electronically submit screening results at www.oakvillechamber.com/rapidscreening after each test. Accumulated data will be reported to the appropriate government officials. It is recommended that staff be screened twice weekly.
In the event of a positive test, the employee is required to immediately leave the workplace and notify public health to arrange for a PCR Test at an approved Public Health Collection Site and await further instructions from Halton Region Public Health.
“In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community, the distribution of free self-screening kits is an important initiative to keep businesses open and help others to re-open. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce has been a part of my Economic Task Force since its inception last March and are a critical partner in helping our businesses through the pandemic and into recovery,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “I encourage all eligible businesses to order their supply of kits.”
