JENNIFER GAUTHIER/Reuters
British Columbia will stop screening all positive COVID-19 tests for variants of concern, with medical experts saying the practice becomes less meaningful as variants drive case counts during the third wave of the pandemic, and one of them is poised to become the dominant source of infections in the province.
B.C. is now developing a strategy that will limit screening for variants largely to surveillance testing, which involves a sampling of the population, and will focus on health measures to prevent deaths and serious illness. It is expected to be implemented in coming weeks.
Mel Krajden, medical director of the BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, said it is unrealistic to stop the virus from spreading without “draconian” restrictions, and that efforts should instead be focused on protecting the population from their most serious harms.