As more provinces scale back PCR testing for COVID-19 and the Omicron variant continues to surge, many people in Canada are relying on results from take-home rapid antigen tests, if they can get their hands on them.
However, in much of the country, rapid tests are going uncounted and are not included in official provincial case counts. Some medical experts are warning it’s important to document those results to keep tabs on the pandemic’s progress.
“We need it for a number of things,” said Sally Otto, a UBC evolutionary biologist and member of B.C.’s COVID-19 Modelling Team.
“In order to predict when we’re going to be at the peak, when we’re going to be at the downside of this Omicron wave, we need to know how many people are infected. If we don’t have a good sense of that, it’s really hard to know, are we still at the beginning of this wave or are we at the end of this wave?”
Have a coronavirus question or news tip for CBC News? Email ask@cbc.ca.
Manitoba says it is making take-home, self-administered rapid tests available at provincial testing sites. (David Horemans/CBC)
The tracking of positive results from rapid tests is extremely limited, with most jurisdictions forgoing any kind of reporting system, and it’s getting more difficult for people to access other forms of testing in several parts of Canada.
On Thursday, for example, Ontario changed its testing guidelines to say people who receive positive results on rapid antigen tests no longer need to get PCR tests for confirmation. And as of Friday, the province is also limiting PCR testing to high-risk people who are symptomatic, vulnerable populations and workers in high-risk settings.
A patchwork of approaches to documenting rapid test results are in place in jurisdictions throughout Canada to document rapid test results, such as:
A piecemeal effort is not going to be as good.– Sally Otto, member of B.C.’s COVID-19 Modelling Team
“A piecemeal effort is not going to be as good in terms of the ability to have a good sense of actually how many people are infected right now, what’s the predicted burden that’s going to lead to with hospitalization and when will we be through this,” Otto said.
“The best data we’ve had about the COVID pandemic has been from the United Kingdom and that’s been because of their strong data analytic framework. They have data on cases linked to hospitalization and vaccination and that’s world class,” Otto said.
Next steps
Jarvis Schmid of Calgary tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid test on Boxing Day.
After he processed the news, Schmid next wondered what he needed to do with his result.
Jarvis Schmid of Calgary tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid test on Dec. 26. Unsure of what he should do with the result, he inputted it into his electronic medical records on his own. (Google Meet)
“I remember someone saying something about it’s good to have these records on hand. What if you have long term symptoms or it helps with diagnoses?” said the 38-year-old, who has been isolating from his family.
There is no system to track rapid test results in Alberta so Schmid instead uploaded a photo of his rapid test along with the date he took the test into his electronic medical records.
“I understand they probably couldn’t get something in place right away. I hope they end up putting something in place that you can easily log this. But right now it’s a bit of a scramble mode,” he said.
However, not everyone agrees a portal similar to what Schmid suggests would be helpful.
Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta, said that type of tracking would require people to be proactive about inputting their results.
“I think the time and effort and money it takes may not actually result in a huge amount of benefit in terms of giving us more information than what we have from the subset of people that are still getting PCR tested,” Smith said.
Down the line
Dr. David Keegan, a family physician in Calgary, is concerned that insurance companies may not accept the results of a rapid antigen test for COVID-19 without confirmation from a PCR test result. (Google Meet)
Alberta family physician Dr. David Keegan said something is better than nothing when it comes to tracking rapid test results.
He’s primarily concerned with the bureaucratic consequences for patients who only have a positive rapid test rather than PCR confirmation.
“Will disability, insurance companies accept those when later on, people are looking at long-term disability for benefits and for access to services? Will those self-reported results be accepted? We don’t know,” Keegan said.
“Let’s hope they are. It would just be ideal if governments had figured out a way to gather such data, rapid test results objectively.”
Watch: Don’t trust a negative rapid test for New Year’s parties, says specialist
Don’t trust a negative rapid test for New Year’s parties, says specialist
12 hours ago
Duration 1:37
Rapid COVID-19 tests are only about 50% reliable against the Omicron variant and should not be used to clear the way for a New Year’s Eve party, says Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC) 1:37
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
