COVID-19 testing and self-isolation

Testing is recommended for people with symptoms of COVID-19 and who are:

• At risk of more severe disease and may benefit from treatment
• Hospitalized
• Pregnant

If you are unsure about whether to get a COIVID-19 test use the BC Self-Assessment Tool.

People who may benefit from treatment can be prescribed medications based on a positive result from a PCR or rapid antigen test. Learn more about who may benefit from treatment.

Rapid antigen testing kits are available free for everyone. Visit your local pharmacy and ask for a testing kit.

Rapid antigen tests available at community pharmacies:

Rapid antigen tests are available for free at many community pharmacies. Anyone can ask for a kit. You don’t have to show ID. If you can’t go to a pharmacy, a friend or family member can pick up a test kit for you. Find a participating pharmacy.

PCR tests:

Complete the COVID-19 self-assessment tool to see if you need to be tested for COVID-19. Based on your symptoms and risk factors you could be directed to pick up a rapid test for home use or recommended for a PCR test.

If a PCR test is recommended:

• Contact your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner), or
• Call the Northern Health Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811 (10 am to 10 pm daily including weekends and statutory holidays)

COVID-19 testing locations are in communities across the Northern Health region. You must have an appointment for a COVID-19 test. Do not go to the emergency room for a COVID-19 test.

Learn what types of tests are available including those for adults and children:

• BCCDC: Types of tests - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

PCR testing:

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is offered in Northern BC. Results are available within 24-72 hours depending on the distance between the testing site and lab.

Rapid antigen testing:

Rapid antigen tests can be used to rapidly test people for COVID-19. While they can be less accurate than PCR tests, results are usually ready in less than 20 minutes and they can be done at home. The BCCDC Rapid Testing for Workplaces program provides rapid antigen tests to organizations, industries and other sectors for workplace screening programs and other indications.

Rapid antigen tests are available as take-home kits through public health at some testing locations for testing people with symptoms. Learn more about rapid testing at home.

Asymptomatic testing:

• Asymptomatic individuals should not be tested for COVID-19. For more information see Q & A: Testing asymptomatic individuals for COVID-19 (PDF)

Private testing/testing for travel:

• Where to get a COVID-19 test in BC - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

There are some private pay clinics that offer testing for a fee to people who require asymptomatic testing for reasons that fall outside of BC public health recommendations such as for travel or employment.

Use a rapid antigen test at home to find out if you have COVID-19. The results will be ready in less than 20 minutes.

Rapid antigen tests are available for free at many community pharmacies. Anyone can ask for a kit. You don’t have to show ID. If you can’t go to a pharmacy, a friend or family member can pick up a test kit for you. Find a participating pharmacy.

Drop-in locations for test pick-up:

At this time, the following communities are offering drop-in hours to pick up rapid antigen test kits.

Note: you must screen yourself first using the COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool. Only use a rapid test if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Have someone who is well (no symptoms) pick up RAT tests from a local pharmacy.

Only use a rapid test kit if you have symptoms of COVID-19.

How to use an at-home test kit:

• Rapid tests are used by collecting a sample from each nostril, using a swab. The swab will only go a few centimetres inside your nose; it should not hurt. Use tests only as directed.
• There are different types of at-home tests you may have received. Follow the instructions for the type of test that you received.
  • BTNX instructions
  • Artron instructions
• You can also access rapid testing at home video instructions - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).

Test results:

• Find out what your rapid test results mean: Rapid antigen test results - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

What to do if you have a positive result:

• See I have COVID-19 for more information
• Check if you are eligible for COVID-19 treatment

If you received a PCR test, get your COVID-19 test results online, by text, or by phone through one of the services listed on the BCCDC Test Results page.

The following are additional options for people who live in the Northern Health region:

HealthELife:

• If you live in the Northern Health region and had a COVID-19 test at a Northern Health facility, you can check your COVID-19 test results online through HealthELife.
• If you haven't signed up yet for HealthELife visit the Northern Health HealthELife page to get started. You’ll need government-issued photo ID, including your personal health number.
• Technical support for HealthELife is available 24/7 at 1-877-767-1046.
• Note: If your test was sent outside Northern Health for processing, your COVID-19 results may not appear in HealthELife yet. We’re currently working to address this issue. If you can’t see your results in HealthELife, check one of the other methods listed on the BC Centre for Disease Control test results page.

My Care Compass (formerly My eHealth):

• Northern Health region residents can also use My Care Compass online service to receive test results if they are aged 16 or older. To use My Care Compass, you will need to provide your Personal Health Number (PHN) at the clinic or collection centre when you take your COVID-19 test. You can register for My Care Compass at 1-888-522-7758.

Find out what your COVID-19 test results mean:

• Understanding Test Results - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

If your test result is positive, visit: I have COVID-19.

People with symptoms who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home until their fever has resolved (without the use of medicines that reduce fever) and they feel well enough to participate in daily activities.

If you have symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19, you can manage your illness similar to how you manage other respiratory infections like the flu. Stay home if you feel sick and take prevention measures to limit the spread of infection. 

Check out these topics for more information:

1. Stay home if sick
2. Managing your symptoms
3. COVID-19 treatment eligibility
4. Informing your close contacts
5. For more information

Stay home if sick:

Stay home and away from others until: 

• Your fever is gone (without the use of medicines that reduce fever like Tylenol), and
• You feel well enough to return to daily activities

Avoid close contact with people at higher risk of severe illness or complications from COVID-19. If you cannot stay away from others while you have symptoms, take these prevention measures:

• Wear a mask indoors
• Cover your coughs or sneezes with your elbow
• Clean your hands often

If you don't have symptoms, you do not need to stay home or avoid others, regardless of test results.

As public health measures are lifted, it's important to remember that we have many tools, such as vaccines, treatments and our own actions that can protect us from the impacts of COVID-19.

For more information on self-isolation and prevention measures, visit the BCCDC self-isolation and self-monitoring webpage.

Managing your symptoms:

• Most people can safely manage their symptoms with home treatment, such as drinking plenty of fluids, rest, and using a humidifier or hot shower to ease a cough or sore throat. If you have a fever, you can use non-prescription medicine like acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) to help with some of the symptoms of COVID-19.
• If you have questions or concerns about your health, call your Primary Care Provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner), the Northern Health Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811, or HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1.
• If your symptoms worsen, or if you do not improve after five or six days, call your Primary Care Provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner), an Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC), the Northern Health Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811, or HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1 so they can determine if you need to be assessed again.
• Go to an emergency department or call 9-1-1 (or your local emergency service) if you are experiencing any of the following:
  • Find it hard to breathe
  • Have chest pain
  • Can’t drink anything
  • Feel very sick
  • Feel confused

Informing your close contacts:

Everyone in the household should monitor symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and stay home if they develop symptoms. 

You can direct your close contacts to: Close contacts and contact tracing - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

For more information:

• If you have COVID-19 - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• What to do if you test positive for COVID-19 (PDF) - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• Self-isolation and self-monitoring - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• COVID-19 self-isolation supports (PDF) - Northern Health
• Close contacts and contact tracing - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• Instructions for close contacts (PDF) - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)

If you test positive for COVID-19 you may be eligible for specific treatments if you:

• Received a clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) letter
• Are being actively treated for cancer
• Have received an organ transplant
• Have cystic fibrosis or severe renal disease
• Are moderately or severely immunocompromised
• Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people who have certain chronic health conditions or identify as Indigenous 

To access treatment:

1. Contact your health care provider, doctor or specialist as soon as you know you are positive for COVID-19 and ask if you are eligible for specific treatments.
2. If you do not have a health care provider, or you are unable to reach them, please do an online self-assessment. If you are unable to do the online assessment, call Service BC at 1-888-268-4319 (open 7:30 am to 8 pm daily).
3. If you do not have a health care provider and still need assistance, call the Northern Health Virtual Primary and Community Care Clinic at 1-844-645-7811 (10 am to 10 pm daily PST including weekends and holidays).

For more information:

• COVID-19 treatments – Government of BC

A close contact is generally someone who has been near a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes when health and safety measures were not in place or were insufficient.

Close contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19, do not need to self-isolate. Learn who is considered a close contact.

If you are in a First Nations community in the Northern Health region and your community leadership provides different direction, please follow local direction instead.

For more information:

• Close contacts and contact tracing - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• Self-isolation and self-monitoring - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• Instructions for close contacts (PDF) - BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC)
• COVID-19 self-isolation supports (PDF) - Northern Health