LAC LA BICHE - As the number of positive COVID cases in the Lac La Biche region again begins to rise, so does the need for quick and accurate testing for staff in local businesses, say representatives of the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce.
The office of the local business-boosting organization knows the preparation and planning are big parts of what makes the economy tick, and currently they are stocked with an inventory of 5,000 individual rapid COVID tests they want to make available to local businesses.
Chamber executive director Karen Collins says the office has 200 kits and each kit holds 25 individual testers.
Collins wants to make sure that local business people know the Chamber has the kits available.
"Initially, when we first got them, we had a large up-take of people getting them — but then with the reduced restrictions and lower cases, it slowed right down," she said, explaining that about 1,000 individual rapid tests had been picked up from the office prior to the slowdown.
Lakeland numbers rising
In the last week, however, as active cases in the Lac La Biche and Plamondon areas have risen from four on Monday to 11 on Thursday, a few more calls have been coming in. Across the region, the Lac La Biche area is surrounded by exponentially higher case rates, with the Cold Lake and Bonnyville areas going into this weekend with more than 170 active cases combined. In the St. Paul and Saddle Lake area, the active case count on Thursday afternoon was at 60.
"We'd like to see more people get the test kits," said Collins. "With things starting to go up again, we are getting calls."
Quick results for staff
The rapid tests are ideal for local businesses who can keep the kits in their workplace and offer tests to staff members when the need arises. The test, says Collins, is not physically invasive and involves a swab rolled around the front part of the nostrils. A result from the test is ready in less than 15 minutes. If a test comes back positive, the person is required to go to an Alberta Health Services testing site to confirm the result.
The rapid test kits from the Lac La Biche and District Chamber of Commerce are free of charge. Business owners and managers interested in picking up a kit from the Chamber should call the office directly during business hours at 780-623-2818. There is a form to fill out, but Collins says specific details are kept private.
Collins says interested business representatives can call or visit the office at the Lac La Biche Museum at the Lac La Biche Recreation Grounds for more information.
