Yahoo Finance COVID test kit rollout for GNWT employees delayed
One week after the N.W.T. government's vaccine mandate took effect, COVID-19 tests are still not available to its employees.
The territorial government mandated that all its employees needed to be either be fully vaccinated by Nov. 30 or agree to take regular tests and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) at work.
"Test kits are in high demand across Canada and the world," N.W.T. government spokesperson Sean Feretycki said in a written statement, when asked why the government had not rolled out testing to its employees.
"Many governments, employers, service providers, schools and others are using testing as part of their defense against COVID-19. Also, the NWT has different logistical considerations than our southern provincial counterparts.
"These two factors are contributing to the timing of test kit rollout in communities." he wrote.
The N.W.T. government is working with Health Canada's Testing Secretariat to procure the test.
On Nov. 23, the territorial government announced its employees would be able to access the tests at no charge, and by the end of the day on Nov. 30, 18.8 per cent of N.W.T. government employees had not provided proof of vaccination.
"By asking employees to provide proof of vaccination, or requiring employees to follow PPE and testing requirements, we are protecting our employees, and the communities in which they live and work," Minister of Finance Caroline Wawzonek said in a news release on the day the policy came into effect.
PPE rules apply
Feretycki said information about when COVID-19 tests will be available will be shared with territorial government employees and the public "at a later date."
In the meantime, employees who have not provided proof of full vaccination will be required to follow their department's PPE rules only.
Once testing is in place, Feretycki confirmed it will not affect department budgets — even in departments like the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency, whose 48.2 per cent rate of employees confirmed vaccinated is far lower than the GNWT and overall territorial average.
"At this time, COVID-19 testing materials are made available at no charge by the Government of Canada," he said. "The GNWT is making use of a federal program to provide tests to employees under the GNWT COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.
"No services will be impacted by the cost of testing materials."
When kits become available, N.W.T. government employees who have not given their proof of vaccination may be required to take the tests up to three times a week, and will have to provide proof of a negative test result before they can continue working.
