COVID-19 testing becomes mandatory for rotational workers Friday.
At Tuesday’s COVID-19 update, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang said only about a third have volunteered for testing, while nine per cent of cases since Dec. 1 have been in rotational workers.
Dr. Strang said it is an important step.
“Detecting infected rotational workers before other people in their home become able to spread the virus,” he said. “The testing of the rotational workers is critically important and that is why we’re making it mandatory.”
Dr. Strang said they will be tested on the first or second day, and again on the sixth, seventh, or eighth day.
He said this will be done while they are under the modified 14-day isolation for rotational workers, which he said must still be completed.
“A negative result on one of these days is not definitive proof of having no infection.”
Dr. Strang said not following the mandatory COVID-19 test rules could lead to a $1000 dollar fine for violating Public Health directives.
One new case of COVID-19 was announced Tuesday, a close contact of a previous case in Central Zone. There are 27 active infections in the province.
