More than 23,000 test results have been recorded on the Legault government’s new COVID-19 self-reporting platform, 48 hours after it went online. However, it will take time before the positivity rate is truly representative.
Posted at 8:36
Updated at 9:21 a.m.
This was announced by the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, on his Twitter account at the start of the day on Thursday. Of the 23,000 results, a thousand turned out to be positive only on Wednesday. That said, in general, for the moment, “the positivity rate is not representative, as people declared more positives”, recognized the elected official.
He therefore invites participating Quebecers “to also register their previous tests from the last month, both positive and negative”. According to him, this will allow “to have a better idea of the total number of cases”, both rapid tests and PCR, by following at the same time “the progression of the Omicron virus”.
Mr. Dubé also reiterated that rapid tests are part of the tools, with vaccination in particular, which will allow us “to learn to live with the virus”.
With this platform, everyone’s empowerment can make a big difference. We need Quebecers to support this new tool.
Christian Dubé, Minister of Health
In a press briefing on Tuesday, the minister said he was aiming for “a soft launch” for this platform, which has also been the subject of cybersecurity tests. “Our goal is very clear: we want people to get used to using self-tests. We are going to a world where we will have to live with the pandemic, and where we will have to self-test regularly, and this is not the last time, ”he said.
“This will make it easier for our Public Health teams to assess the progression of the virus in the community. We will thus be able to have a more realistic overall picture, which will help public health to adjust health measures according to the real epidemiological situation, ”he insisted.
Since the beginning of January, Quebec has given up testing the general population using PCR tests, in the face of fears of a shortage. These tests are now reserved for nursing staff and at risk. Since that date, the number of daily cases of COVID-19 no longer reflects the extent of the spread of the disease in the province.
With The Canadian Press