In Ottawa, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, and Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer, join ministers Patty Hajdu (health), Anita Anand (public services and procurement), and Dominic LeBlanc (intergovernmental affairs and chair of the cabinet COVID-19 committee) for an update on the federal response to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease). Minister Anand announces that Canada has signed an agreement with Abbott Rapid Diagnostics to purchase up to 20.5 million Panbio Antigen rapid COVID-19 tests. This new agreement is in addition to the already-existing arrangement for the acquisition of up to 7.9 million ID NOW rapid point-of-care tests from the U.S.-based company. Health Canada has authorized the use of both tests in Canada.
